Hard Shove
by Mooncat99
Summary: Sometimes, love needs a little push by a friend – or perhaps a good hard shove. Rogan.
1. O Prologue

Title: Hard Shove

Author: Mooncat

Summary: Sometimes, love needs a little push by a friend – or perhaps a good hard shove. Rogan.

Rating: K

Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful characters of Gilmore Girls.

Copyright: Sarah Diaz 2006

Author's note: In honor of St. Patrick's Day. What better way to use a little story with lots of Finn in it for this greatest day of all for him?

Thanks: To my beta, who made sure that even two years later I can once again post the definitely finished version.

_**Hard Shove**_

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah."

"Okay… but are you really sure? I mean, you…"

"Doesn't matter. Something needs to be done. I can't watch them being so miserable anymore. Not her. Not my best mate."

"But…"

"They belong together. You know that. Everyone who knows them knows that. I know that."

There was a long pause.

"Okay… what do you want me to do?"

"I'll take care of her. Just make sure he is home two nights from now and alone."

"You think…"

"You never know with him. But no, I don't think so. He knows by now that no other girl can ever be enough for him after having her."

"Yeah… or he really doesn't deserve her."

"He doesn't. No one does. But it's him she loves. Him she chose. And he's one lucky bastard for that."

"He does love her. You know that."

"Sure I do. That's why I'm going to help him get her back. That and he _is_ my best friend. And I just can't see my mate being depressed and unhappy as he currently is."

"I better go now. You sure you're okay?"

"Don't worry, mate. I'm fine. I'm always fine as long as there's booze around."

"Sure. See you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow."

He watched his friend leave. As soon as he was out of his sight, he closed his eyes. He knew he was doing the right thing. But that didn't mean he was sure if he really could do it. After all, he knew without doubt that it was going to break his heart.

* * *

If Rory hated one thing, it was to get disturbed while finishing her work. She was almost finished, only a few more words here and there, a few more changes and she knew it would be finished and it will be as good as can be. She was finishing her latest article when the knocking started. At first, she ignored it. To her huge annoyance though, it turned out that whoever was on the other side of the door was immensely stubborn as the knocking didn't stop but only got frantic. It was as if the person knocking knew that she was home and had just chosen to ignore the unwanted interruption. Or that Paris wasn't there, having gone visiting her parents wherever they were hiding now to go clear up a few financial matters.

Glaring at the door, Rory frowned. "Go away!" she shouted.

Emily would have a heart attack if she ever hear her granddaughter shout at a visitor like that, but seriously, Rory wanted to finish her article.

The knocking didn't go away. In fact, it only got louder. The person knocking on the door was now almost banging on her door.

Her frown deepening, Rory got up with a sigh and went over to rip open the door. If this person didn't want to take the hint, she had to bring out the big guns now. "Are you having trouble hearing?" she said, "Go away. If you absolutely must, come back later, but only if…" she started before she actually registered who her caller was…and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who actually had dared to disturb her work.

She hadn't expected to see him. Not after not having seen him for almost seven months now. Well, at least not talking to him. She did see him around on campus, naturally. Though she did her best to actually avoid him and get the hell away as soon as she spotted him or anyone of his friends. It simply hurt too much to see them, even though she did miss them. They just reminded her too much of _him_. The one she just couldn't make herself forget. The one she simply couldn't stop to love.

Doesn't matter that she hadn't heard from him in eight months and twenty days. Doesn't matter that _she_ had told him to just go and don't bother to call her. She did the inevitable thing, said it for both of them. They had known they couldn't go on like that. She had known that as soon as he boarded the plane that it would be over. Not that it was what either of them had wanted. There just was no choice for them. He couldn't stay. She couldn't go with him. End of story. So she had kissed him goodbye and told him to go or he'd miss his flight. And had turned away so he wouldn't see the tears starting to fall as her heart broke into a million pieces.

Tears that returned every goddamn night she did not fall asleep in his arms.

"Sorry love, no can do," her visitor told her sheepishly as he sauntered past her into her living room, looking around, before turning his green eyes onto her. "You ready?"

"Finn," Rory said slowly and closed the door. She knew the Australian well enough to know that it was futile to ask him to leave.

"You remember my name!" Finn squealed delighted. "Really love, I was starting to worry about that, the way you never greeted me anymore. Would have crushed me forever."

"No one can forget you," Rory assured him with a sigh.

Finn sent her a beaming grin. "Thanks love, that's what I needed to hear. So, everything packed and ready?"

Carefully, Rory looked at him. She of course had no idea what he was talking about, although, that was not really new about Finn. Nor had she any idea why he would be there in the first place. But then, he sure liked surprises. And none too often those surprises meant that Rory found herself whisked away to someplace before she could even start saying no. They all were like that. And _he_ had been the worst of them all…and that was saying something about everything where Finn was included. "Uh, no," she finally answered, slowly.

With a sigh, Finn shook his head. "Really, you women… why can't you ever be on time?"

Getting annoyed, Rory raised an eyebrow. "And how am I supposed to be ready when I had no idea we had a date for today?"

Gasping, Finn's hands flew up to cover his heart. "You _forgot_? Aww, love, now you did it! You broke my poor little heart."

Rory shook her head, not impressed with Finn's antics. "Finn… we have nothing scheduled for today. You must have confused me with someone else."

That would be the most logical explanation. Finn for sure wasn't famous for his good memory with names. Add lots of alcohol, which usually was the case, and everything gets mixed up in Finn's head.

"You're Reporter Girl, aren't you?" Finn asked, giving her a weird look.

Rolling her eyes, she nodded.

"Serious studying and at the same time a sucker for any festivities and traditions that are out there in the wide, wide world, right?" he inquired further.

Unable to hold back the laughter now, Rory nodded amused.

"Well, then I'm at the right time, in the right place, with the right girl. Now go pack up, but hurry up love. We don't want to get late," Finn told her and waved her on.

Her laugh turning into a groan, Rory shook her head again. "Finn, for the last time, no. We don't have anything set for today."

"Course we have, love. You promised," Finn though simply said.

"What?" Rory asked. This was really getting ridiculous.

Finn nodded eagerly. "Exactly 364 days before. You promised me to go to the parade tomorrow."

Shaking her head, Rory already opened her mouth to protest when her eyes widened, remembering just what day had been 364 days ago. Or rather said would be tomorrow. And it finally dawned on her just what Finn was talking about.

Oh shit.

"Uh-uh Finn. No way. You're not whisking me away to Dublin!"

­

* * *

TBC! 


	2. I The Promise

**Chapter 1: The Promise**

_(364 days before)_

"_Is it just me or are you ashamed to be seen with those two crazies as well?" Colin asked, frowning at the two green people._

"_Nope. I hardly dare to go out and be seen with them," Logan answered laughing. "It will be terrible for my reputation. And I don't even want to think about what will happen if the press happens to catch me with those lunatics."_

_Colin nodded solemnly. "I can already hear both the Huntzberger seniors."_

_Logan groaned and shook his head. "Please stop… I rather pretend that they'll never get wind of it." He looked at the two green people among them who pretty much ignored his and Colin's conversation and rolled his eyes. "Why am I doing this again?"_

_That got the attention of their crazy companions though. _

"_Cause you know it will be one bunch of fun, mate! Not to mention the biggest and best party of the year," one green lunatic said._

_Colin and Logan both snorted._

_With a smile, the second green lunatic came over to him to slip her arms around Logan's waist and give him a deep kiss. "Because you love me, despite me being crazy and even despite me being green," she said softly to him once she pulled away. _

_Logan sighed heavily but tightened his hold around his green lunatic's waist. "Oh that…" he said, smirking lightly._

"_Oy, that's not fair! My perfect reasonable reason you ignore but she just had to get you all hot and bothered with one kiss and already you're all 'oh that'…" The other green lunatic protested, looking over to the couple, hurt. "Just wait and see. Next time I'll kiss you as well," he pouted._

_Colin gave a snort and looked at him, frowning. "Finn, your reasons are never reasonable."_

"_And so not sorry to tell you that, Finn, but a kiss from you would never work. That only works with Ace, I guarantee you that," Logan said, shuddering lightly and pulling his Ace even closer into his body._

"_Yeah Finn, sorry, but this is my man," Rory said with a laugh and patted Logan comfortingly on his chest. Then her eyes started to gleam in a wicked way. "But of course, if a little ménage à trois is what you have in mind…"_

"_Ace!" Logan protested. "Don't give him ideas for heaven's sake! Didn't I tell you to not give Finn any ideas and to never, ever mention a ménage à trois to him when I gave you the ten golden rules of how to handle Finn?"_

"_Sorry Huntz, I blanked out after the first five rules that consisted of keeping him always supplied with alcohol and the next three rules of never standing between him and a redhead," Rory deadpanned._

"_Bad, bad mistake Ace," Logan sadly sighed._

"_Oh well, I guess I'll live…" Rory said with a shrug. "And you know, wouldn't it be nice for Finn if for the big night I'll dye my hair red?"_

"_Oh no!" Logan said alarmed, his eyes shooting over to Finn._

"_My love!" Finn enthusiastically exclaimed, coming towards them with wide open arms._

_Quickly, Logan backed away, pulling Rory with him._

_Rolling his eyes, Colin shook his head. "Children…"_

_Rory turned her Bambi eyes on him to blink innocently at him. "Yes, Daddy?" she asked in an innocent voice._

_Colin gave her a long look, then sighed. "You're crazy, you know that?"_

"_Of course I'm crazy. I'm my mother's daughter. I'm a Gilmore. And most of all, what day is today?" she asked, her voice rising._

_Finn's hands shot up. "The great, the wonderful, the unbeatable…St. Patrick's Day!!!!!!!!" he shouted, Rory joining him there at the end._

_Covering his ears, Logan looked darkly over at Colin. "This will be a long, long…"_

"_Long, long, _long_ day," Colin agreed as darkly. _

"_And it's high time to get the fun started!" Finn nodded and looked at his friends. "Okay, checklist!"_

_While Logan and Colin groaned, Rory sprang out of Logan's arms to attention._

"_Green pants…" Finn interrupted himself to look at Rory. " or green skirt?"_

"_Check," Rory nodded._

"_Check," Finn said after looking down at his legs clad in stark green pants and then looked at Colin and Logan. Both having relented to wearing green pants… as in the form of very dark, almost black suit pants. Shaking his head disapprovingly, Finn made a check on that point._

"_Green jacket?" was his next question._

"_Check," Rory nodded again._

_Colin rolled his eyes. "Please, Finn, spare us from asking the color of each individual's item of clothing. We all see who wears what in green after all."_

_But Finn shook his head. "Not everything." He did notate in the checklist the green items he could see though before he looked up again. "Green underwear?" _

_Logan and Colin simply shook their heads, not bothering to give an answer. Rory though grinned. "Please." _

_Raising an eyebrow, Logan looked his girlfriend up and down. "Green underwear?" he mouthed to her, trying to imagine it… and having a hard time picturing it. Green just wasn't her color, it clashed with the blueness of her eyes. None the less he couldn't wait to check out that green underwear._

_She gave him one of those small, sweet, but oh so seducing smiles. "Be a good little boy today and you may get to see it," she told him lowly, only for his ears to hear._

_Logan grinned but said nothing. He had no intentions whatsoever to be a good little boy today. It was St. Patrick's Day after all. And he was still pretty sure that he'd get to see that underwear anyway. _

"_Green hats?" Finn continued his check list._

_Rory put her overly big hat on her head. "Check."_

_Finn, already wearing his own hat, looked sternly over to Colin and Logan. Both of them smiled back at him and showed no intention of putting their hats on. They'd never be able to get into the car with them on anyway. Not to mention that they looked ridiculous. Needless to say that Finn had bought them. _

"_Shamrocks?" Rory asked, knowing that those three could engage in long staring downs. And she really wanted to hit the road. _

_The three boys slowly looked over to her, then nodded in unison, without a groan from Logan and Colin this time. The shamrock was tradition after all._

_So she nodded and grabbed her little bag shaped like a shamrock and, of course, green as well. "Then let's go. As much as I know that this must surprise you, but, New York is not going to wait for us to start the parade."_

"_They're not?" Finn asked, giving her a big, confused look._

_Laughing, she patted his arm. "Nope, now come on, my soul mate for this wonderful day."_

"_You heard the lady," Finn nodded, grabbed his things and together they were the first out of the door._

_For a moment, Colin looked after them. "We could just stay here, you know. Close and lock the door. I doubt they'll even notice it."_

_Logan grinned. "We could. But it would never be as much fun. Cheer up Colin. Think about the green beer. Think about the hundreds of girls out there, thriving for a day and night of pure fun."_

_Colin seemed to think about it while they left Logan's and Rory's apartment. "You've got a point there. But don't try to kid me. You just don't want to risk leaving your precious Ace alone with Finn."_

_Locking the door of their apartment, Logan smiled. "And that," he admitted. Not that he didn't trust Rory or Finn, it was just that the more time he spent with his Ace, the harder it got for him to be separated from her. _

_Besides, Rory may love Finn and be as crazy about the green day as the Australian, but Logan doubted that Rory could really take Finn pure for the whole day. It needed years of practice. Then again, Rory never had much of a problem dealing with Finn. Probably thanks to that crazy town she came from. Logan had recently been there for one of the many famous town festivals. He could honestly say that Rory had never exaggerated her stories about Stars Hollow, even though he and his friends had a hard time believing those stories. _

"_Hey you two! What are you waiting for? Time's ticking, beer awaits us and the leprechauns have their pots of gold ready for us!" Rory called out to them. She and Finn held the elevator open for them._

"_I thought St. Patrick's Day with Finn was bordering insanity," Colin muttered._

_Picking up on his train of thought, Logan looked at Finn and Rory, covered from head to toe in green, both having even gone to the trouble of wearing green wigs, painting all their ten nails green and Rory had applied on both of them green make-up. Not to mention the shamrocks painted on their cheeks. He shook his head. "Colin, we haven't seen insane yet," he stated with a sigh, couldn't help but smile though as his eyes drank the sight of his green girlfriend._

_He could whine and protest all he wanted… truth was that he didn't want it any other way. In a million years he would never have thought that he'd ever find a girl that could keep up with the craziness he liked as his life…and with him, Colin and Finn. Especially with Finn. But he did. _

_He found his Ace. _

_Colin glanced at him and shook his head. Two years before he would have laughed for at least a week if anyone had told him that Logan Huntzberger was going to get so interested in a girl that he'd start to lose interest in any other girls. Let alone actually going all the way to commit himself to that same girl, becoming a boyfriend. Even after having seen that, a year ago, if someone had told him that his best friend would continue to fall so hard for that girl that he'd say the word with the big L to her and actually mean it, he still wouldn't have believed it. Or that within half a year Logan would be living together with her… happily. Colin would have laughed long and hard, though he did know that that girl really meant a lot to his best friend. Simply because he knew only too well how much Logan appreciated his freedom, which was no wonder if you knew where he came from. He hadn't thought that even Rory could get him to settle down that much, at least not yet. _

_His eyes wandered over to the girl that had managed to do the unthinkable and had captured Logan's entire attention and heart, at the moment being busy firing limericks at Finn who fired more limericks right back at her. But then of course, Rory Gilmore was a very special girl, one of a kind. She brought down the great Casanova. Colin hadn't thought it possible, and even more, that he'd ever like the girl that managed to 'steal' away his best friend. He had been wrong, very wrong. There was nothing about Rory not to like. Before he knew it, he loved the girl fiercely. Not in the way Logan loved her, of course. It was way more of a brotherly love. Though truth be told, any man was a fool if he didn't fall halfway in love with that girl._

_Having lost their limerick contest, Finn resolved to avenge himself by starting to tickle Rory, who squealed and jumped away, Finn mercilessly following her. As he cornered her in the elevator, Colin captured a fleetingly expression that entered Finn's eyes, only to vanish again after hardly a second, and he sighed inwardly._

_He had been lucky. His love for Rory had never changed from friendship and brotherly love. Finn hadn't been so lucky. But then, Colin doubted that it ever had been pure friendship and brotherly love for Finn. Like said, any man who didn't fall halfway in love with Rory Gilmore was a fool. And Finn may act foolish most of the time, but he was far from being a fool. It was just his misfortune to have fallen for the girl of his best friend. The one girl he'll never be able to have. It is simply because Logan had been first to have seen her. Had been first to realize just what a different but oh so special girl Rory Gilmore is. Had been first to fall for her._

_Once again, Colin glanced at Logan. He wondered if Logan knew that one of his best friends was in love with his girlfriend or even suspected it. There were times he thought Logan knew, and other times where he was convinced that Logan had no clue at all. It didn't really matter. They all knew that this particular topic would never be discussed between them. Never needed to be discussed. Rory was Logan's. End of story. And both, Colin _and_ Finn were happy for him._

_Shaking his head, Colin shook those thoughts away. This was St. Patrick's Day after all, definitely not the time to dwell over anything, especially not something like that. He joined his friends in the elevator and looked at Logan, snickering. "Green suits you. Matches your eyes," he told him dryly._

_Logan gave him a puzzled look. When both the green lunatics started to snicker and giggle as well, he frowned and turned to look into the mirror at the back of the elevator, and spotted the reason for their amusement immediately. "Very funny," Logan said and glared at the green lunatic that was his girlfriend. "Thanks a lot, Ace," he told her sarcastically and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe away the green lipstick Rory's kiss had left on his skin. _

_Her eyes sparkling with laughter, Rory leaned up to kiss his cheek lightly, careful not to leave any lipstick this time. "Forgive me?" she simply asked, turning her pleading baby blue eyes on him. _

_With a sigh, Logan wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her once again against his body, letting his head fall on her shoulder. He was such a wimp to fall time and time again for those eyes. He knew it. Rory knew it. Finn and Colin knew it. Hell, probably the whole world knew it. Yes, he was powerless against it. _

_But he could live with that if it meant that Rory was in his life. Besides, he may be unable to resist his Ace's eyes, but in return he has his tricks to get from Rory what he wanted. So he guessed they were even. _

_The elevator reached the lobby and as soon as the doors opened, Rory and Finn rushed out, humming. With a roll of their eyes, Logan and Colin followed the two green lunatics.

* * *

_

_Sighing happily, Rory leaned against Finn as she watched the masses of over a million people, clad in green, filling the streets of New York City. It wasn't the first time she was there for the parade and take part in the green insanity. But like with all the other holiday celebrations and festivals she was simply eager to participate every time. She couldn't get tired of it. Well, as long as it was just once in a year. Not to mention that it was distinctively different from any of the other times. She wasn't here with her mom, but only with friends and, most importantly, her boyfriend. _

"_Best party on Earth, isn't it?" Finn asked grinning, watching the crowd as well._

_Rory laughed and nodded her head. "Well, New York's parade is the oldest, largest and best in the world, if I remember the advertising correctly."_

"_Not just advertising, love," Finn said, throwing her an intimidating look, shocked at such a blasphemy._

_Holding up her hands, she shook her head. "Won't hear me denying it either. I've been to a few and the Big Apple beats them all."_

_Finn nodded seriously. "It is. But I've got to admit that Chicago is good as well. Ever seen the green river?"_

"_Please," Rory answered, offended. "For about half a day I thought all rivers are green all the time. Until the color dissipated and turned back to being blue, or well, the normal color for a big city river."_

_Finn laughed. "How old were you?"_

_Rory shrugged. "Dunno. Two, three? Maybe four? You'd have to ask Mom that. Though no guarantee that she remembers. St. Patrick's Days are always a bit of a blur for her."_

"_Hey, I know that feeling!" Finn said eagerly._

_Rolling her eyes, Rory patted his hand. "I know."_

"_Speaking of the nectar of life, where the hell is your boyfriend and my other mate with our beer? I'm dying here!" Finn asked, gazing into the crowd in hope to spot their friends._

"_You see the crowd. They only left a while ago. It sure will take some more time," Rory pointed out, waving at the hundreds of people lining up to the countless bars and carts, getting drinks._

"_Why again am I not on that most important mission of today while your boyfriend keeps watch over you?" Finn sighed, looking darkly at the people that kept him away from his beloved booze._

"_Because by the time you'd be back with the drinks you'd have already drunk them all, leaving not a single drop for us," Rory explained patiently._

"_Oh… Well, you could have had a drink as well, love," Finn told her, switching on his charm. _

"_How knightly of you," Rory answered, smiling._

_Finn nodded. "But only because you know how to appreciate the holiness of this greatest day of great days properly."_

"_Hear, hear!" Rory said and raised her glass of green beer to drink on that. It was true after all. "You still won't get any of my beer though, Finn."_

_Pouting, Finn stuck forward his lower lip. "Love of my heart!"_

"_Nope!" Rory refused, shaking her head. It wasn't as if there was much left in her glass. It was simply a question of principle._

"_Soul mate of mine!" Finn tried it again._

"_No, Finn!"_

"_Mean," Finn murmured, letting his head fall down. Not for long though. For the atmosphere among the partying Irish and want-to-be Irish was simply too good and cheerful. _

_For a while, Rory and Finn watched in silence as the various groups of revelers paraded in front of them. Because of the little space they had, Rory was loosely in Finn's arms. She liked to be there. It wasn't the same overwhelming feeling of being home as when she was in Logan's arms, but Finn's were comfortable and safe as well. _

_When she had met Logan, Finn and Colin, she had thought that they were like the average rich, snotty, arrogant and loud boys she knew from Chilton. In a way they were. And Finn… well, she had thought him a bit weird – that or a chronic drunk. But after the LDB event she started to get to know them a bit better. Logan the best of them but with Finn and Colin being his closest friends, she automatically got to know them better as well. And she was surprised to find out that they weren't so bad after all… that she actually liked them. _

_She found out that Colin only turned to the arrogant asshole she had first met when feeling provoked or when really disliking someone. Why Colin didn't like Marty or even felt provoked by him was still a mystery to her. She never bothered to ask. Colin was somehow the one that kept the other two stooges grounded – still crazy, but on a level that was somehow controlled. He was more of the silent type, seldom talking about private matters and always reluctant to open up really. Once he opened up though, you'd find an intelligent, sensible young man who has a great sense of responsibility and has a very dry sense of humor. A bit too controlled for his own good perhaps, but knowing his background that wasn't a big surprise. Actually, soon Rory had found that Colin, in a lot of ways, reminded her of her grandfather. She loved to discuss almost everything with him and she thrived while debating politics and social issues with him, especially with their contrary opinions. Sure, he was not a perfect human being. He had faults, many of them, but then, a person without faults would be so boring. _

_Yeah, Colin had been a surprise. Not as a big one as Finn, though. To the outside world, Finn was always the happily drunk rich heir, only living for fun. Adventure, alcohol and sex were the salt of his life. He lived and breathed those things. But once he accepted you into the inner circle, their inner world, you'd meet another Finn. In their inner world, Finn was a much calmer person, one who was content to sit around for hours watching snakes coupling. There was almost no topic you couldn't discuss with him. He was incredibly intelligent with a vast knowledge of anything, everything…that impressed Rory time and time again. And if he'd come upon something he didn't know about, he'd see to it that he'd learned whatever he could in as short a time as possible. What amazed her most though, was just how good you simply could be silent with the usually so loud Finn. _

_If two years ago someone who'd have told her that she'd become friends with these particular society boys, she'd have laughed out loud and called the men in the white jackets. But they did become friends, initially because of what was going on between her and Logan…Rory, Colin and Finn had to live their lives around each other. It was different now though, at least on her part. She had grown to love Colin and Finn, as brothers, as friends, best friends even. She was pretty sure that this feeling was mutual and not just because she was Logan's girlfriend now. Yeah, she even dared to think that even if she and Logan ever broke up, they'd still be friends. _

_Not that it would ever come to that. She wouldn't let it. Finn and Colin 'belonged' to Logan. They were his best friends since forever, just like Lane and Paris 'belonged' to her. She'd never come between them, nor would the boys let that happen. Their friendship was too deep, their loyalty to each other too firm. So they'd break off the contact to each other, but would remain friends over the distance. _

"_Deep thoughts?"_

_Rory looked up into Finn's green eyes that watched her closely and smiled. Finn was also damn good at reading people and picking up on the slightest distinctive mannerism or characteristic of a person. A remarkable but also very annoying talent of him. She shook her head, not wanting to share her thoughts. There was no need to. It was all clear. Instead she voiced a thought she had earlier on, and pretty much on every St. Patrick's Day she could remember._

"_You know, I can't help but wonder how they celebrate the big day in the old land. I've heard that they're actually partying for a whole week, you think that's true?" she asked him curiously._

_Finn grinned. "'Course it's true, love. We Irish never pass on an opportunity to drink and relax."_

"_You're Australian, Finn," Rory reminded him with an eye roll. _

_Finn just shrugged. "And from where do you think my ancestors came to the land of cockatoos and kangaroos, huh? Finnegan isn't just a whim of my mother, you know."_

"_Really?" Rory asked, interested._

"_Pure Irish blood that runs through my veins," Finn nodded._

"_That would explain a lot," Rory commented dryly. "Were you ever in Dublin for the big day?"_

_Sighing sadly, Finn shook his head. "Never made it there so far, though I did want to go there for a while now. A friend of mine has been there a couple of years back and is still praising it in the highest tones. It's European, but 'cause it's Irish, it's still crazy and big, if not more so than here. That's what he said at least."_

"_I can imagine," Rory laughed. "I hope I'll make it there one day."_

_For a moment, Finn looked at the dreamy expression on her face and the hope in her eyes. And found himself smiling as a plan quickly formed in his head. "Tell you what, love," he said, causing her to turn her killer blue eyes up to meet his again. "You and me, next year, Dublin, St. Patrick's Day."_

_Rory laughed, lightly, joyfully. "Now _that_ would be something. Unfortunately though, it's impossible."_

_Finn frowned. If he hated one word, it was the word 'impossible'. "Why?"_

"_School, Finn," Rory said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world._

_But then, in the world of Rory Gilmore, it was obvious. Not so in Finn's though. "First, next year's the 17__th__ is on a Friday. Second, it's after the last exams and right before spring break. So you see, no reason whatsoever for you to refuse my deepest wish and crush my heart."_

_Perplexed, Rory stared at him before she shook her head. "You have it all figured out, haven't you?"_

_Finn nodded. "Always. At least when such an important day is involved. Now, I'm dying of waiting for your answer here love."_

_Rory sighed. "How big are the chances of me refusing and staying sane?" she asked. One look at his wriggling eyebrows and she sighed again. "Right. What about Colin and Logan? They're coming as well?"_

"_Only if they show proper appreciation to the greatest of all great days," Finn said decidedly. _

_Raising an eyebrow, Rory's eyes took on a wicked gleam. "Any ideas how they shall prove that to us?" she asked._

_Matching her gleam with a wicked grin, Finn chuckled. He just loved how that girl worked. "Some," he said and turned excited puppy dog eyes on her. "So it's a date? Next year, the 16__th__, I'll come pick you up in the evening to get to the airport."_

_Laughing, Rory shrugged and nodded eventually. "It's a date."_

_Chances were high that by the next day, Finn would have forgotten about it anyway. And if not… if Finn really was right and all the exams were through by then, then why not? She really had always wanted to be in Dublin for a St. Patrick's Day after all. One thing was for clear: It sure as hell would be fun.

* * *

_

TBC!


	3. II Agony

**Chapter 2: Agony**

Needless to say that only a few hours later, Rory found herself sitting in a large, comfortable private jet, flying over the big ocean towards the land of fairies and kobolds. A Finn with a set mind was not a force you'd reckoned with. Beside, she _had_ promised it.

Of course she had strongly believed that Finn never remembered setting that date and getting her agreement in the first place. Hell, she hadn't remembered it herself until Finn reminded her. Why should he of all people have remembered it then? The Australian had never mentioned it again after last year's St. Patrick's Day. And then she hadn't expected Finn to hold her to that word, even if he did remember. Things had changed after all.

She gazed out into the dark night and leaned her head against the cold, thick glass of the tiny window.

Things had changed so much. Logan had to leave for London and they had decided beforehand that it would be for the best to break things up between them. A natural decision as their relationship had already started to cool down. Back then she had thought that it was because… well, because of things. Like him doing a whole bridal party but always turned cold and green with jealousy whenever she went to meet an old friend. Okay, Jess was an ex-boyfriend, but that was just what he was. An _ex_. He was the past, and she loved Logan now. She really did love him. But more things happened, like her not living with him anymore and him never really forgiving her for that. Or him going on more and more business trips, spending a lot less time with her, leaving her alone and wondering what he was doing. Or who he was doing.

Now, months later, she wondered if it really had been a normal cooling down of their relationship or simply a protection, a defense mechanism of hers and perhaps even Logan's as well. Truth be told, their relationship had only started to deteriorate when it had become known and clear that Mitchum Huntzberger was ordering Logan to go to London for a year, no discussions allowed. The news had shaken Rory. They were so happy with each other, she was so happy. Being with him… she had no words for it. It just felt good. Right.

Home.

A feeling she had terribly missed ever since she had left Stars Hollow to go to Yale. Her dorms had been okay, but it hadn't been home. And when she went home it wasn't the same either anymore. She felt like a visitor rather than someone who still belonged there. Of course she knew that it would always be her home, that she was always welcomed there. But at the same time, realization had set in that it was only her childhood home now, where she had grown up, became the person she was now. She had grown up, spread her wings and then left the nest like it was supposed to be. While that was good, it had also ripped her off from a real home. Home, she couldn't seem to find anymore. Living in her grandparent's pool house had been a bit better than the dorms. At least there she had done more to decorate the house to her own liking. She had been a bit more independent. But it still didn't feel like home. And that shabby apartment she had shared with Paris and Doyle… definitely not a home. Nor had it held the comfort the dorms, the pool house and her old room back in Stars Hollow had at least given her. So it had been no wonder that she had spent most of her time over at Logan's after they had gotten back together and before Paris had thrown her out. Of course his lack of roommates and his strict refusal to go to that dump as he called her apartment had a lot to do with that as well.

And then he had asked her to move in with him. To this day she wasn't sure if it hadn't just been a spur of the moment decision that he'd regret later on or if he really had wanted her to move in with him. And she had refused for a long time to analyze if her agreeing had more to do with the fact that she just had no other choice because there really wasn't any acceptable place around to live in or because that's what she had wanted, because she loved Logan and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.

Now she knew that it hadn't been just convenience. That had only been an added bonus.

It had been a _true home_ from the moment she had put the last of her belongings in Logan's apartment that first night. Not because it was spacey, with a beautiful view, with wonderful furniture (though a bit too manly for her taste) and was situated in a prime area, near campus. But because Logan was there, sharing his life with her. He always kissed her when she got home, when he got home, before she left home, before he left home. He always pulled her into his arms when they were ready to sleep and his arms would still be firmly wrapped around her when she woke up. They'd argue over the newspaper, over the television program and remote control and over who was paying for the take out. They'd sat comfortably with each other while doing school work, listened to each other talk about their day, discussed about God and the world. He'd unconsciously play with her hair while they were sitting on the couch, reading or watching television while her hand would unconsciously always move to his free hand interlacing their fingers.

Then news about London had come. And with a start she had realized that no matter how happy they were right then, how right it felt to be living there with him, sharing her life with him, it would have to end soon. She grew more conscious of just how much both their lives had come together, became one. The thought that at the end of the school year they'd had to tear down what they had built up together, hurt. Hurt like hell. With each day that passed, with the day of his departure getting closer, her happiness was slowly fading away. She was slowing grasping the reality that soon it would be impossible to see him every day, speak with him, feel his presence, kiss him hello and goodbye, fight with him over the paper, have him pull her into his arms and keep her there.

So she had started to pull away, unconsciously, in order to protect her heart and make the separation painless, if possible. And he had done the same thing and she thought it was probably out of the same reason. When she found out about the girls he slept with when they were taking a break from each other, she angrily moved out of his apartment. She wanted to end things with him then, before her heart would get even more hurt. That had been the plan. But, she just couldn't go through with it. She had missed him so terribly. It felt like part of her was missing. So when he had come to her, pleading to talk, she had let him in, had listened to him, already knowing the moment she had opened the door for him that she'd take him back. Needed him back. So they got back together, but she stayed firm and refused to move back in with him. She couldn't bear the thought of it, to live with him again, have everything with him again, then, as soon as the school year ended…to have nothing at all.

Perhaps that was the moment that had sealed their inevitable break-up before his departure. Perhaps, if she hadn't been so scared of getting hurt even more than she already was and if she had fought harder for them she wouldn't be so heartbroken now. It was only a year after all. Logan had a private jet and more money than he could ever spend. And she too could afford to buy several tickets to London. There were phones, emails, voicemails, live-cams and whatever else technology had invented to make the world smaller. They couldn't touch or kiss, but they could still talk. If they both had wanted it, they could have gotten through that year.

But that was the problem. She didn't know if they both wanted it. Logan had never asked her to remain his girlfriend while being away in London. And, truth be told, she just didn't trust Logan entirely, especially with them so far apart from each other. It was no secret that Logan loved sex. He had never gone for more than perhaps ten days max without sex since his first time. Was he even able to survive without sex for days, weeks, or even months if they had to live apart, with a whole damn ocean between them? Perhaps that was why he never showed any sign that he wanted to stay together with her. While she never asked him to remain her boyfriend also, she did not want to force him into anything and she was not entirely sure if it was even worth fighting for anymore, after the way things had cooled down between them.

So they had said their goodbyes. He had left for London and Rory… Rory went home for a while, helped prepare her mom's wedding with Luke. When school started for her last year, she went back to New Haven. She shared the nice apartment her Dad rented for her with Paris. The apartment was near campus but was far from the building where she used to live with Logan. It still wasn't home, but it was at least much better than the dorms or that horrible dump she had shared with Paris previously. She buried herself in school work, occupied her time with writing for the _Yale Daily News_ and _New Haven Daily Post_ where she was a freelancer. Her personal life… well, there wasn't much of a personal life left with her busy schedule. There were no regular Friday dinners anymore though she did see her grandparents regularly, proving that Emily wouldn't have had to blackmail her for years in order to see her granddaughter. Neither did Rory go to Stars Hollow as often as before. While she loved Luke and was very happy for her mom she felt always a bit as if she intruded in their still very newly-wed life. Instead she visited her dad and Gigi more often. Lane, being now married to Zach, didn't have much free time also, especially as she was always on the road doing tours and concerts, with Hep Alien being a success. Rory went to see them if she could and that probably was the most going out she had done this year so far.

It was a good life, always busy, but that was what she had expected for her last year in college. She could be contented. She should be happy, because school and work really went great for her.

But she wasn't happy. Half of her was missing, being an ocean away. She had hoped that with time it would get better, that she would stop missing him so terribly. No such luck. If anything, it got only worse. She started crying silently in the darkness of the night, covering her pain of the dark hours with a bright smile in the morning.

And she felt lonely. Most of her friends had a life of their own now and Paris never had been much of a cuddly bear, thank God. Not to mention that she was as focused on her graduation as Rory was. And she still had Doyle and seeing the two together - it only made her miss Logan even more. Besides, for the better part of the last one and a half year she had mostly hang out with Logan and his friends. Now Logan was gone and most of his friends had graduated last year, Colin included. The only one really still at Yale was Finn, taking more than one major and so needing a year longer. But Finn was Logan's. As much as she had missed the crazy Australian, she would never have approached him. Nor had Finn approached her for that matter.

Until today. Rory glanced at her watch. Well, until yesterday to be exact. Her eyes wandered over to the tall, dark haired man, who had come to highjack her to go to Ireland. His skin deeply tanned as always, no matter what time of a year it was. He had stretched out on the couch, claiming he needed to get in all the sleep he could for the big day tomorrow. Surely not bad logic. She had considered sleeping herself. But she just couldn't. For one she didn't dare to. She didn't want Finn to see her tears and there was a big chance of that happening if she allowed herself to fall asleep. More often than not she would cry during her sleep, waking up with her pillow wet.

And for another… she wasn't really tired, her mind going crazy with Finn's visit and her trip to Dublin now. She was looking forward to see the parade in the old land, and yet, she couldn't help but think that London was so near Dublin. That _he_ would be so near. Nearer than he had been in a very long time. It would be so easy to ask Finn to bring her to him. She wanted to see him. Needed to see him so desperately. That was her heart talking, trying everything to make her do the only thing that her heart knew would finally make her feel happy again. Then her head would chime in, heavy with sarcasm: '_Yeah sure, and Logan would be so happy to see you after all those months. He'd open the door, take you into his arms and never let go again. Of course he hadn't moved on, of course there wouldn't be another woman in his bed, be it only for a quick fuck or perhaps even having seduced him and now living together with him. Sure he'd pine for you as much as you're pining for him. It's so in his nature to do so after all. That he's going as crazy missing you as you're missing him._' And on a more serious note, it wouldn't be fair for her to go and rip open her wounds by seeing him. It would be too painful, very painful. It would not be fair, neither for her nor for Logan.

Her eyes looked at the sleeping Finn again. Of course she could put an end to the tug of war in her head by asking Finn about him. How he was doing. If he was fine. If he was seeing someone else now or if he has gone back to his old ways. A few times she had almost asked him. In the end though she had always stopped herself, a part of her simply too afraid to hear just what she suspected she'd hear. Nor did she want to bring Finn into an uncomfortable situation where he had to either tell her the truth or lie because he wanted to protect her.

They had talked a bit, catching up on their lives. He had talked about his classes, briefly only, and talked more about all the great LDB events she had missed. And then he had talked about this party and that adventure or the trip then. He had mentioned his family, the little nephew who was born a few months before, about some of his plans for the future, gave her some news about some of the people who had left Yale last year and whom she had known, Colin being the main focus of course. It looked as though Colin's joining his father's law firm as an intern while going to law school had gone very well. He had also already started to speculate a bit on the stock market because of his good instinct for it. That didn't surprise Rory much. He always had been good with finances. And she never had doubts that he'd be a good lawyer. Apparently he hadn't settled down on the relationship front though, much to his father's dismay and so far had refused to get engaged. That didn't surprise Rory either. Colin would only settle down when the right girl came his way and until then he'd enjoy bachelorhood. She just hoped for him that that girl would come his way before his father started to push him into some arranged marriage.

The only one Finn hadn't mentioned was Logan. And considering how close they were and just how much Logan was part of Finn's life, just this exclusion made his presence between them more obvious and ominous.

Why was Finn doing this? It would have been no problem for him to pretend that he forgot their date for this year's St. Patrick's. Why come to her after all these months, subjecting them both to this awkwardness? This pain, at least on her part. Finn was so sensible and good at reading people, didn't he know just how much it hurt to be with him, pretending as if nothing had changed while everything had changed so much? How much his presence made her think about Logan, miss him even more than she already did?

Knowing Finn she sensed that this wasn't just about St. Patrick's Day. That he had something up his sleeves. It made her nervous. Finn planning something was mostly a dangerous, dangerous thing. Plus, she was wondering if perhaps Logan had… no, she shouldn't get her hopes up.

Sighing, she pushed the thoughts away. Not much longer and they'd be in Dublin, diving head first into the green craziness. It was a time to be happy, feeling care free, where nothing in the world could bring you down from the high you're on. That's St. Patrick's Day.

But without Logan…

Her heart heavy, she shook her head at her pathos that was worse than in the worst soap opera there was. She looked again over to Finn, checking if he was still sleeping soundly. He was. Glad for the dim light to hide her blush, she pulled out her cell, pressing speed dial one and held it to her ear. It barely rang once before it got forwarded to the voicemail.

"_Logan Huntzberger. Call back later or leave a message."_

Quickly, Rory ended the call and threw the cell back into her purse. She was ashamed of doing this. It was pathetic of her to call him almost every day now, only to hear his voice. But she just couldn't stop. The first time it had happened it had been a mistake. She had just come out of the New Haven Daily Post, having accepted a job there, and was bursting with the good news. So she had taken out her cell phone and automatically speed dialed Logan to share her news. When Logan's voicemail had picked up she realized just what she had almost done and had quickly disconnected the call, shocked that she had almost called Logan. It was just… for so long he had been the first person she had told any good news, especially if the news world was involved, so she had instinctively called him again. She had only been thankful that it had been his voicemail so he'd never learn of her stupidity. Still… it had felt so good to hear his voice, so near, as if he was just standing behind her. It hadn't taken long and soon, she had slowly dialed his cell again, just because she had wanted to hear his voice again. She knew that from around two am to eight am he always turned on his voicemail. Sometimes sooner and whenever he had a meeting or class as well, but the scheduled times were those hours, easy for her to make them, thanks to the time difference. So she called during those hours, listened to his voice and then hung up before she had to leave her message. It always had worked so far.

Of course no one knew about those calls as no one knew about her tears either. And that was just fine with Rory. She didn't need the world to know just what a loser she was, how weak she was. It was embarrassing enough already. Not helping her in any way to move on.

But then, she wasn't sure if she even wanted to move on. Or could, for that matter.

Because the more time passed, the more she started to believe that once you went Logan Huntzberger, you never could go back again.

She sighed and leaned her head against the window again, closing her eyes.

Someone should have warned her that it would be forever when she had lost her heart to Logan Huntzberger.

* * *

"Mr. Huntzberger?"

Logan looked up from the article he was writing and pressed the intercom button. "Yes Elsie?"

"There's a gentleman here who'd like to see you, Sir," Elsie informed him.

Exasperated, Logan shook his head. Never in a million years would he be able to understand why Elsie couldn't just tell him that Mr. This or Ms. That wanted to see him. But no, it was always a gentleman or a lady who wanted to see him. He had told Elsie to tell him the name straight and she'd managed to remember the instruction for perhaps half a day and then it was back to gentleman and lady. And why gentleman and lady? Why not simply a man or a woman? Right. Because this was England. Far, far, _far_ away from the States.

"Who is it?" he asked with a slight irritation in his voice. He had told her to not disturb him unless it wasn't avoidable, wanting to get his article done. He hadn't any meetings scheduled for today.

Not today. This wasn't a good day to see him.

"A Mr. McCrea, Sir," Elsie answered.

His eyebrows shooting up, Logan sat up. Colin? Now that was a surprise. Colin hadn't mentioned any visits the last time Logan had him on the phone. "Send him in, please," Logan told Elsie and switched off the intercom. He turned back to his laptop and quickly saved his article. With Colin paying him a visit the article would have to wait. He wondered if Colin had just dropped in or if his visit had a reason. And he wondered if Finn was there as well. Not now of course, otherwise Elsie would have said something, but that didn't mean that he wasn't meeting the Australian later on. It was still awfully early after all. Barely eight in the morning.

Logan shut down his computer and stood up to stretch a little. He had been at the office early, shortly after five in the morning. Not that that was unusual for him. He came early, often being the first to come in the office, and left late, also often being the last one to leave. Logan hated that, but it was better than having too much time on hand to think about things long past. Or go home to his cold apartment which was too big and too empty. No, it was better to keep his mind busy with other things. So, after only a few weeks, Logan had thrown himself into work, burying himself in it. He usually had at least thirty meetings in a week, regularly worked on Sundays, edited several dozens articles a week and contributed at least three of his own. He was getting worse than his father. And wasn't that making his father smile smugly in triumph? Oh yeah, Mitchum Huntzberger was very proud of his decision to send his only son for a year to London and was currently congratulating himself for that splendid idea and the success he had with it. Finally, his heir was cleaning up his act, taking on his responsibilities and proving that he had a right to be the next head of one of the world's biggest news conglomerates. Logan let him believe that it was solely his doing that he was actually working his ass off in London.

In a way it was his father's doing after all. It had been his father who had ordered him to go to London, his father who had threatened him to better follow his orders or this time, he'd really lose everything. His position as the heir, his future prospects, his money, his family, his home. So Logan went. He had had little choice. Because truth was, though it had taken quite some time for him to realize and then admit it, Logan wanted the job. Wanted the news business. It was the only thing he had learned, the only thing he was good at. Down the line, he was a news business man. He loved the thrill of the business, he loved to write and most of all, he loved _making_ the news. True, it had really taken a long time for him to admit that. Ace had a lot to do with it, teaching him how to love the business despite being pushed into it by his family, despite hating his father to never having let him make the decision on his own.

In the end, it was bitter irony that he had no choice but to leave behind Rory who had encouraged him to embrace his talent and follow his love for the news business. No choice but to leave Rory who was the best thing in his life to train in London to take over the business he had learned to accept as his future. No choice but to leave behind Rory, their relationship, their life together…which was what he wanted for his future also. Such cruel irony.

Once again, his family name had dealt him a bad hand, had destroyed the happiness he had found and had hoped to hold on for a lot longer. A lifetime if he had any say in it. But he had none. It was either getting to do in life what he was born to do or losing every chance he ever had in the news business and keep Rory in his life. Yeah, he could have thrown everything he had away for that girl and he would have done it, if he had thought that it wouldn't end in a disaster. His instincts had told him that with time, he'd start to hate Rory for not being able to do with his life what he wanted to do, what he needed to do. And ultimately, he probably would have lost her as well, leaving him with nothing. No, it was better to go. At least that way, he just had to hate his father and fate. Because he didn't want to hate Rory. Even though it would have made things so much easier if he could hate Rory. But no man in his right mind could hate that girl.

You could only love her.

No one knew that better than him. He sure hadn't planned to ever fall in love with Rory. Yet it had happened. He didn't know when or how, though he did suspect that it had been the moment she had ripped him a new one for having been an arrogant bastard towards her friend. Not that he would ever admit this, even if he had realized it sooner. That had only come a lot later. After she had left him after their fight about that bastard Jess. With her gone he had learned just how much of a part of his life she had become. No other girl could satisfy him anymore, neither physically nor intellectually. That there was only one girl who could do that and that was Rory. So yes, he had been desperate to get her back, trying everything he could think of. Of course nothing less than barring his soul had done the deed in the end. Rory couldn't be won over with money and though that had been frustrating back then, it also had made him love her even more. And then she had finally taken him back.

Not long afterwards, they had done the next big step in their relationship and had moved in together. Logan would have thought that it would scare him when that topic would come up one day. It was one thing to share his bed with someone, even when it was Rory, but his entire life? 24/7? He couldn't imagine it. Then she had called him in a panic to complain that there was absolutely no available housing so late in the school year after Paris had thrown her out and before he even realized it, he had asked her to move in with him. Strangely, it hadn't been just because it seemed to be the only reasonable solution to her momentary homelessness, but because he _wanted_ her to move in with him. Wanted her to put her coffeemaker into his kitchen, put her things into his drawers, scattering her books and discs all over his place, joining her things with his things like he wanted their lives to join and become one. To wake up with her, go through the morning routine with her, separate for the day with a kiss and then come home to her in the evening, with her always there to greet him with a smile which immediately made him forget everything that had happened that day and he wanted to do the same for her. He wanted his day to start and end with her in his arms, where she belonged.

Living with her had been a bliss. He had been happy like he never had known happiness before. For the first time in his life, he learned how a real home should feel like. He never had had a home before. His family's house was a too big, too cold; a mausoleum instead of a warm house where you felt welcomed and be simply happy. The boarding schools hadn't been home, but at least they had been better than the Huntzberger mansion. Later in Yale, he had his dorm room which was also better than the Huntzberger mansion. And it had felt really good to live on the boat on his year long trip after the second year. But it still hadn't been a home. Nor had been the great apartment he had had last year. He had liked it very much – but it only had become a home to him after Rory had moved in with him. His apartment had become their home and he loved every second he had spent there with his Ace.

Logan had never regretted his decision to have Rory move in with him, to make a home with him. When she moved out, he lost his home. The apartment became merely an apartment again, not a home. It had never been the same again, even after they had gotten back together again. She started to come over. But only that: come over, not stay. As if everything wasn't but borrowed time anymore. He hated it. He wanted more than borrowed time and it just felt horrible.

It sure didn't help that London was looming over them constantly as well. He had avoided to think about it, but he hadn't been able to stop thinking that soon, he wouldn't even have that borrowed time anymore, with him in London and her back in the States, finishing college. Often, he had almost asked her to come with him, but in the end he always had stopped himself. It wouldn't have been fair to ask her to transfer in her last year. She had already lost a semester because of him, or rather said because of his father, and he didn't want her to lose even more time. Plus, she was the editor of the YDN, an experience that was bound to help her in her career later on. A career that he didn't want to ruin. And, he couldn't take her away from her family that she loved so much, from all her friends, from the small town where she grew up and that meant so much to her.

Perhaps things would have been different without that damn London business looming over them. Without it, he'd maybe have fought more for her. Yeah, perhaps. But truth was that he and Rory had already started to drift apart. At first he had thought she was pulling back from him because of those stupid bridesmaids. By now though he had realized that it had already started earlier, after Valentine's Day weekend when the news broke about his father's plan for him to stay in London for a year. She had pulled back, slowly untangling their lives, removing herself from his life. He didn't think it had been a conscious decision of hers. He had done the same thing after all and it sure as hell hadn't been deliberate. Perhaps, they were both trying to protect themselves.

At that moment, the door to his office flew open and Colin walked in. "Puh, man, getting into Fort Knox is easier than getting to see you," he ranted, shaking his head. "You know how long I needed to convince that old owl down there to ring you and tell you that I'm here? Bloody thirty minutes! When are you finally going to get rid of that woman? She's older than the universe, forgets names and faces and on top of that is more stubborn than a donkey."

Smiling, Logan turned to him. Probably the most accurate description he had heard so far of Elsie. "Sorry Colin, I can't fire her. She's been here longer than this paper exists. She's not personnel but inventory. I mean, even my father had been unable to fire her and believe me, that wasn't because of his good heart."

"Hmmpf," Colin muttered, frowning. "And you! I tried to call you but all I got was voicemail."

"I was working on something, sorry," Logan apologized with a grin. "Man, it's good to see you. What brings you here?"

Colin raised an eyebrow. "Can't I just drop in to see my best and oldest friend?"

"Sure you can. Now, what do you want?" Logan answered, his grin widening.

Shrugging, Colin moved around Logan's office, stopping here and there to finger any new objects he hadn't seen before. "Just needed to get out for a few days. Dad got engaged again and is planning to leave me in charge while going on his honeymoon in a few months and of course he's rotating now. I swear to God, I can't piss without him being on my back."

At that visual, Logan made a face. "Thanks for the image, mate."

Colin ignored him. "So I told him that I had some business here in the old land, that's actually true by the way. Of course I could have taken care of it by phone but I thought, why not take that perfect excuse and come see my best friend. So here I am."

"At eight in the morning," Logan nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"Just came from the airport," Colin nodded and threw himself into one of the big chairs. "Thought we could go grab some breakfast and then go watch the parade. There is a parade here, isn't it?"

So that was why Colin was here. Logan turned away from him to look out of the window from where he had an impressive view of the skyline of London. He hated it. It reminded him time and time again that he was in London, instead of being home. What he wouldn't give for this to be New York's skyline and be able to go home to his Ace in the evening.

He shook his head, forcing the treacherous thoughts away. But then, he had known that they would overwhelm him today. It was St. Patrick's Day after all. Finn's favorite day of the year. The day he turned into a green lunatic, with Logan and Colin rolling their eyes and shaking their heads at him for his antics that were even crazier than on normal days. But then, in the past two years, he had gotten reinforcement in form of Logan's girlfriend. Logan had been surprised to find out that Rory was, in one word, crazy about the first green of spring. As crazy as Finn was in fact. If not crazier. And suddenly, there had been two green lunatics. But boy, had it been fun with them. Especially last year, it had simply been a perfect day. So perfect that now, the memories of that day were haunting him. Memories of his happiness with Rory.

He so didn't want to see any parades or shamrocks or green things today.

"Hey! Logan!"

Startled, Logan turned back to look at Colin.

"Great. Barely here for five minutes and already spacing out on me. Thanks a lot, buddy," Colin said, affronted.

Pulling himself together, Logan grinned sheepishly at him. "Sorry. I fear my father has been rubbing off on me."

"If you start telling me some bullshit about work I'm going to drag you down and over the street to throw you into the Thames," Colin threatened Logan before he could start making excuses not to go to the parade. "And then I'll call Finn and rat out that I found you in the office on the most holy day, at freaking eight in the morning. He'll be here in a flash just to smack you for this blasphemy."

At that Logan couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah? You and which army will throw me into the Thames?"

"I don't need an army for that, Huntzberger," Colin told him, annoyed.

"Since when? You haven't won one fight against me in your entire life so far," Logan pointed out to him with a snort.

"Oh, for your information, I have been working out very day. The gym is the only safe place where I have peace away from my Dad. So you better not try anything with me," Colin let him know.

"I'm shaking," Logan said dryly and sat down into the other chair, facing Colin. "How's Finn?"

Colin shrugged. "Same as always. No wait, last week he was actually going totally overboard because of the exams. Made me drive out to New Haven every day to get him up early and go over the stuff with him for one last time."

"Seriously?" Logan asked with a laugh.

"Yeah. I've missed two meetings and was too late for five others," Colin nodded.

"Wow. He really wants to finish this year, huh?" Logan asked, shaking his head.

"Yep. But the exams went well and now he'll just have the finals to get over with then he is done with college, done with school and he can join us in the serious world of business," Colin said with a sigh.

Logan smiled. "It will never be serious with him," he said.

"Of course not," Colin agreed with a grin.

"Still chasing the redheads?" Logan asked.

"Please," Colin said, rolling his eyes.

Logan nodded. It would have surprised him if that had changed in the past three weeks since Finn had paid him a visit. But then, you could never be sure with him.

"I left him a message to meet me at the airport and come with me, but I didn't get through to him," Colin casually said. "I got a message from him, saying that he has other plans. He'll meet us on his way back though."

Quickly, Logan avoided Colin's eyes. He wondered what plans Finn had. Perhaps he had flown home. Or perhaps he had decided to see one of the many parades all over the world. Or perhaps… No. That was unlikely. Sure, Rory had promised to go to Ireland with him this year for the parade, but with the way things were, Logan doubted strongly whether Finn had held Rory to that promise. He knew that his friends hadn't any contact with Rory anymore so it was illogical to think that Finn would have approached her for that. Not that Logan had ever asked them to do that. And Finn and Colin actually had never said anything until Logan had broken down one night after he had drunk way too much and had asked them about her. He hadn't allowed himself that question before and never again afterwards. He never mentioned Rory, period. Finn and Colin seemed to go along with him on that point as they never mentioned her either. And Logan was just fine with that. He didn't want to talk about Rory. It just hurt too much, damn too much.

Not that the pain of not being with her, not being able to see her, to talk to her, to touch her, to kiss her, to draw her into his arms and to keep her there ever subsided, ever dissipated. The pain got worse with each day he was separated from her. It got so bad that one day, he had found himself calling her voicemail just so he could hear her voice. God, it was so pathetic. Yet he did it again and again until he called her every day to listen to her voice and then quickly hang up again. He had lived long enough with her after all to know when a snowball in hell had more chance to survive than for anyone to reach her.

"So you see, whatever plans you may have had for the next couple of days…" Colin started to say.

"Are shot to hell," Logan said, resigned.

"Don't overdo it with the enthusiasm here," Colin told him, slightly frowning.

"I do have work to do, you know?" Logan said defensively.

"So do I. But what's life without a break here and there?" Colin asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Less painful', Logan thought, but said nothing. A year before he would have wholeheartedly agreed. Now though…now breaks meant free time. Time to think about the emptiness of his life, time to remember more happy times, when he had still been able to enjoy breaks, had lived for breaks. Sure, he loved spending time with Finn and Colin. He _did_ know them since forever. But the problem was that during his time with Rory, she had become so much a part of the group that not even his best friends could make him forget just how incomplete he felt without her at his side. No… he couldn't enjoy breaks anymore.

"Some warning would have been nice," Logan muttered under his breath, but Colin heard him anyway.

"Why? So you can find an excuse and ditch us? Like on New Year's?" Colin asked sarcastically.

Logan shrugged. "I don't make the news. The news makes itself and we have to follow them. It hadn't been my idea for the new terror attacks at Piccadilly's."

"You could have sent someone else to cover the story," Colin pointed out. "You're the boss after all."

"Yeah, and as the boss it's my duty to send the best we have to cover this explosive story," Logan reasoned.

Colin opened his mouth, but before he said something else, he breathed in deeply. "Okay. It's too bloody early in the morning, I hadn't had a decent coffee since I left the States and the flight was crappy. I didn't come here to fight with you but to have fun. So why don't we just forget about this and go get some breakfast. Then I'll go see the parade. Your choice if you want to come as well or not."

Logan met his eyes and sighed as well. "Sorry, it's been a long night. Breakfast sounds great." He hesitated for a moment. Oh, what the hell. He could as well go to the parade with Colin. It wasn't as if it would make Logan miss his Ace even more than he already did. She was a constant part of his thoughts, pushed back, but never leaving him. At least he could perhaps get properly drunk afterwards, so drunk that it wouldn't hurt so damn much anymore while Colin kept an eye on him. "And of course I'll come see the parade. Wouldn't miss it in the world," he said, falsely cheerful.

His face lightening up, Colin nodded. "Now that's my man," he said approvingly.

"Just let me tell Elsie that I'm leaving and that she should cancel my meetings for tomorrow," Logan said and got up to go over to his desk.

Colin snickered. "Whatever for? She'll probably have forgotten it by lunch anyway."

Logan chose to ignore his comment. Elsie wasn't _that_ bad… But perhaps he better made her write it down.

* * *

TBC!

_(Author's note: Just to make one thing sure: I think those two are IDIOTS!!!! Idiots, idiots, idiots! It's unbelievable how stupid they are! It almost hurt, this stupidity! And I have a hunch that I'm not the only one being frustrated here. Just so you know: I'm only writing them, not making them! And thank Heaven for Finn and Colin! Anyway… thanks for all the wonderful reviews! It's just the best part of posting stories, really! Hope you keep letting them come my way. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and aren't too frustrated by it. I'll make up for it eventually, promise!)_


	4. III Fools

**Chapter 3: Fools**

"I love Dublin! And I love St. Patrick's! Did I mention that I love St. Patrick's Day?"

Smiling, Finn nodded. "Yeah, love, I think you mentioned it a few times today," he told Rory patiently. Like a few dozens times.

"Oh…" she murmured, then grinned. "Well, I love it."

"What's there not to love?" Finn agreed.

"That parade… whoopee, what a parade. Second best parade ever!" Rory whooped. "All the green! All the shamrocks! All the Irish!"

"Yeah, Josh was right. St. Patrick's here in Dublin is really something," Finn nodded.

"We've got to come back," Rory nodded. "I love it here. And I love St. Patrick's. Best day of the year, even better than 4th of July… and Thanksgiving. And Christmas!" She sighed. "And did I mention that I love you?"

Finn stared into his green beer for a moment, then shook his head. "No, no, that you haven't," he answered quietly. Never before had she said those words. Beautiful words. If she wasn't drunk right now. If she meant those words…rather meant those words in the sense that Finn wished she had meant them. If she wasn't who she was… the girl of his best friend. Still… to hear her say those words to him… it was something he probably would cherish deep inside him for the rest of his life.

He did love her after all, and yes, in exactly _that_ sense. But he also loved Logan, as one of his best friends, as a brother. He wanted him to be happy. Them to be happy. And the past nine months had shown that apparently, they could only be happy together. Finn knew that. He had always known that he and Rory weren't meant to be together in this lifetime. She was Logan's, had been from the very first moment he had known her. Logan had seen her first. Had first realized just what a precious person she was.

And that stupid idiot had thrown it away. Or at least had tried to.

"Well I do. I do love you. Because you're Finn. And because you brought me here, although I still don't know why you did it. I mean, why insist on it after not talking to me for eight months?" she asked, frowning.

Looking back at her, he sighed. "You didn't seem to want to talk, love. At least that was what I got from you turning the other way each time you spotted me."

And damn if that hadn't hurt. Just another reason why his plan had to work. If he couldn't have Rory like he secretly wished to have her, then he wanted at least what he had so far. Her friendship, companionship. He wanted her in his life. Those past nine months hadn't been bad just for Logan and Rory. He too had missed his best friend, had missed Rory, terribly. Fools. They were fools. And their foolishness was seriously ruining his happy life. Why did they have to break up with each other? Anyone who knew them could see that those two loved each other deeply, were made for each other. Hell, a blind and deaf person could see and hear that!

But no, those fools thought it was best to break things off, making themselves and everyone around them miserable.

And miserable they were. Rory and Logan had both buried themselves in work, barely doing anything else than work, eat and sleep. If they slept at all, he thought darkly, taking in Rory's pale complexion and the dark circles under her eyes. He had watched how the vibrant, glowing girl he had fallen in love with had slowly withered away over the past few months. She hid it well, always having a too busy air around herself and wearing that false smile on her lips so few seemed to notice that on the inside, Rory was anything but fine. He wouldn't say she was dying inside, but then, in a way, that was just what was happening to her. Her spirit was dying.

And Logan… physically, he coped better, but emotionally? He seemed even worse, if that was possible. He had clammed up, barely smiled or laughed anymore, at least not true laughs and smiles. Finn doubted that he had heard his best friend's laughter since after his break up with Rory. Not that he had seen or heard much of his mate in those months. Logan had made himself scarce, hiding behind work when he went to visit him, barely having time anymore. Hell, he practically lived in that fancy London office of his nowadays. And that was simply not his friend that he loved like a brother.

Fools.

Bloody fools they were!

"I couldn't, you know."

"Hmm?" Finn asked with a frown, coming out of his grumbling thoughts to look back at Rory, seeing that her face had fallen.

"You're Logan's. Sure, I missed you and Colin, but your both Logan's," Rory repeated, shaking her head. "You belong to him, not me."

Finn's frown deepened. "I think we rather belong to ourselves," he corrected her.

But she shook her head vehemently, almost falling down from her stool but for Finn's hand that kept her steady. "Uh-uh, no, you're Logan's. He needs you, you're his family. I'd never come between that. We're not together anymore, so I have no business to talk to you anymore." Her eyes grew distant, sad, staring blindly at the partying crowd in the bar they had ended in after a long day of parade watching, sightseeing, souvenirs shopping and basically living St. Patrick's to it's fullest in the hometown of this fine day. "Besides, it hurts too much," she added in a whisper.

For a moment, Finn studied her, then he nodded. It was time. "Then do something about it," he told her bluntly.

She turned her confused eyes to him. "Huh?"

"If it hurts so much, and it does, that much a blind kangaroo can see, then do something about it instead of wallowing in that misery," he repeated with force.

She stared at him. "I'm not wallowing."

"Yes, you are. Or have you done anything to put an end to this ridiculous situation? Have you called him? Have you wrote him? Gone to see him?" he wanted to know.

"Logan?" she asked with a frown.

Irritated, Finn sighed. Perhaps he should have started to hone in on the topic sooner, before she got so drunk. Or not let her drink so much. But Rory had made sure that she wasn't going to talk about Logan, or even mention him for that matter, on her own. And though Rory seldom drank, let alone too much, he had learned in the past that when she did, her tongue loosened considerably. Hence, he did nothing to stop her from getting drunk.

"Yeah, Logan. Your boyfriend, remember?" he replied patiently.

She paled and bit her lips, looking away. "You know he's not my boyfriend anymore," she pointed out, her voice fading, but with a trace of anger in it.

"The hell he isn't," Finn though contradicted her. "You two may be fools and think you're broken up, but really, you're not. You're still as much his as he is yours."

Unfortunately.

"Finn, no…" she pleaded in a small voice, suddenly looking like a kicked, lost puppy. "Don't do this to me."

The sight tore at his heart. And that was just the reason why he couldn't stop now. "Do what?"

"Saying such things. Talking about _him_. I don't want to hear it. I can't…" she replied, her head down.

"Sorry love, but he's my best friend. Sure I'll talk about him. Tell you…" Finn started to say.

Her head snapped up to glare at him with misty eyes. "Don't you get that it fucking hurts to even think about him, let alone talk?" She sagged into herself, swallowed, and a tear escaped her. "God, Finn, I miss him so damn much. I can't…" she sniffed. "I thought it would get better, you know? Time heals wounds, right? Right!" Again she glared at him. "Nope. That's a fucking lie. It doesn't heal. It makes it worse. Each damn second he's gone hurts a little more." She rubbed at her eyes, angrily. "It's pathetic, I know. But it is how it is." Her eyes now blazing with fury, she grabbed for Finn's still full glass of beer and took a few big gulps. And all the while, the pain she was in screamed out of her with every breath she took. "I tried to stop missing him. I tried to stop loving him. The feelings just won't go away!" She took another gulp, then stared into the now empty glass. "I'm tired of always missing him. Tired of always thinking about him. I'm tired of dreaming about him and tired of waking up in tears, because he's not there anymore. Tired of degrading myself by calling his voice mail like a pathetic loser, but then, that's just what I am. I want to be an overseas correspondent, but I can't even get to come to terms with the fact that my boyfriend is my ex now and lives thousands of miles away, probably having long since moved on and having a great time in London while I always sit at home and cry my eyes out over him." Another tear escaped her eyes. "Why can't I just simply forget him? File it away? Get over it?"

Wow… when that girl talked, she talked, Finn thought as he tried to digest all she had finally let out. There were many things that hadn't surprised him. And many things he didn't like to hear. And one or two things he hadn't known. Like her calls to Logan's voice mail. Like her crying so much. He had known she wasn't doing too well, but he hadn't realized just how not well she was actually doing. Damn, he should have acted sooner, a lot sooner. But somehow he had always hoped that those two fools would get through this mess on their own. And when there had still been no sign that things would right themselves eventually, he had started to think about a plan to get them back together. And Rory had just given him a few hints just why that outside help was needed in the first place and Finn decided to pick that one up right then and there.

"He's not," he informed her.

She simply looked at him.

"Moving on. Having a good time. He has everything but that." Finn's eyes softened. "Love, you really think he's doing anything better than you are? That he misses you less than you miss him? That he hurts less than you hurt?" He shook his head.

"But he's Logan," she said, her voice trembling.

"And that's supposed to mean what?" Finn wanted to know, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged and looked away. "You know how he is. He doesn't let himself get down. He _lives_. He enjoys. Makes the best out of everything."

"Screws around?" Finn asked knowingly.

"Well, the last time we were broken up he did an entire bridal party, and that had only been not quite two months," she replied defensively. "It's been a whole lot longer this time. And with a much more final break up this time. Not to mention the big ocean between us."

"Love, he has changed," Finn said softly. "You changed him."

"Has he?" She snorted. "And I don't want to be the kind of girl to change someone."

Finn shrugged. "If you wanted it or not, he changed. Because of you. Because he loves you and knows that the Logan you initially met had no future with you. He wanted to change. And it did him good. I've never seen him so happy than when you two had been living together."

As he had never seen his mate as wretched as he was right now. But that was going to change. It had to.

Rory said nothing, just twirled the empty glass on the table.

"But now that he's changed, he can't go back anymore. Not that he wants to," Finn continued seriously. "He isn't happy. He needs you for that."

"Oh yeah? If he needs me so much, then why did he never ask me to come with him? Or at least ask me to remain his girlfriend?" she retorted angrily. "If he misses me so much, then why did he never call? Write? Anything?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe, he did want to do all those things desperately? But that he hadn't wanted to be unfair to you, forcing you into something you didn't want?" he asked quietly.

She looked up sharply. "And who says I didn't want to? He never asked, never gave me the chance to make a decision!" Rory protested.

Finn sighed and rubbed at his temples. This wasn't working too well so far. He looked back at her. "Okay Rory, maybe he did not, but it goes both ways, love. Did you ever ask him to stay? Not to go? To remain your boyfriend?"

Again, Rory said nothing. But this time, Finn remained silent as well. Finally, she sighed. "No. No I didn't. I couldn't do that. His father would have disowned him then. I couldn't let him do that. He's born to do this, and I don't mean that just because he had been lucky and was born the heir to the Huntzberger fortune."

"So then you made the decision for him, just like he made the decision for you," Finn summarized.

"I guess. But he could still have fought for me," she added defiantly.

"As you could have fought for him," Finn pointed out.

"He's supposed to do that! _He_'s the guy. _He_'s the one who has left," Rory retorted back. "He's the one to decide if he wants to remain in a long-distance relationship and then ask me in case he decided to at least try it. And then it was my turn to decide the same thing, but not before." She looked away. "But he never asked. Guess that was my answer."

Wait… was she saying what he thought she was saying? Could they have avoided all this heartbreak if those two idiots would have just talked with each other, openly, instead of assuming things? Finn shook his head. Logan had never said much about their break-up. He had simply told Finn and Colin that they had decided mutually that there wasn't much sense in trying to remain together, so they had broken up upon his departure. And while Finn had known that they were both wrong and making a mistake, he had never anticipated to hear what Rory had just told him… that neither of them had really wanted to break up. But both had assumed the other wanted to.

"You know, Reporter Girl, for someone who's as smart as you are, you are incredibly stupid. Same goes for Logan," Finn muttered darkly.

"Gee thanks," she said sarcastically and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Finn asked with a frown.

"To go get myself a new drink. My buzz's wearing off and that's the last thing I want right now. Then I'm going over there and prove myself a total klutz, but I'll have fun," she explained, pointing over to a group dancing ceilies. "'Cause you're no fun anymore, Finn. And this day is here to have fun, even if you feel like crap. So there," she finished and marched off.

Finn let her, keeping an eye on her though. Logan would kill him if he let anything happen to his girl after all. Well, once that idiot had reclaimed her as his again. Boy, Finn just hoped that Colin was beating some sense into that thick, stubborn head of his mate.

* * *

"Forget it, babe, I'm taken."

Logan's gruff statement upon seeing a girl heading his way, obvious in her intentions, baffled the girl for a moment. But then she smiled again and still stepped closer. "You sure about that?"

'Big mistake,' Colin thought and sure enough, the words had barely left her mouth when Logan turned his head slowly to give her a look. A look he had learned from his father and grandfather very early on and then had perfected it to a level that would have left the senior Huntzbergers envious. The perfect look of superiority, indifference, arrogance, but also a clear warning to not mess with him or you'll regret it.

This time, the girl got the message and scrambled away as fast as she could. Probably the smartest thing she had ever done in her life. Logan could have a vicious tongue if he was in a mood like that.

"So… you're taken?" Colin asked casually, coming to sit on a stool beside Logan at the bar counter. "Good to hear. Anyone I know?"

"What?" Logan asked, glancing at him with a frown. "Oh…" He shrugged. "Nah, just not in the mood for the game and I found out that it's easiest to tell them that I'm not on the market anymore." He made a face. "Of course that only works with those who don't know me or are keeping an eye on me. I've yet to figure out a way to ward those off."

"Shira still throwing suitable girls your way?" Colin wanted to know.

Logan gave him a look. "You seriously think she'll stop until I'm happily' married off?"

Colin laughed. "Not in this lifetime."

"Exactly. So why ask so stupid questions?" Logan pointed out, miffed.

Then again, miffed seemed to be the mood of the day for his best friend. So far he wasn't enjoying anything about this fine day, not the parade, not the street party afterwards and not them hitting the bars. All things Logan, at least the Logan Colin had known for years, usually loved to do. But of course this wasn't the same Logan. No, this here was the Logan who had chosen to follow his heart and came here to London to save his destiny, and in the process had lost just that: his heart. This was Rory-less Logan and frankly said, Colin was growing tired of this Logan. Not to mention exasperated.

Finn was right. It was time for those two idiots to sort out their mess. He wanted his best and oldest friend back. And he also wanted Rory back. He had missed the girl who he had come to love as a sister, more than he thought he ever would. Obviously, Rory had warmed her way into more than just Logan's heart, just not quite in the same way though. But if he missed the girl already like that… how much worse must it be for Logan? And how could he take it? Why hadn't he hopped into his private jet and rushed back to go get his girl back long ago?

Colin didn't know. But he intended to find out. Then fix it. That was the plan. And while he battled down with Logan, Finn would take care of Rory. Nice, good, solid plan. The only problem was that so far, Colin hadn't had much luck in getting Logan to talk. Each time he so much as approached the Rory topic, Logan was quick to dodge it by either changing the topic or suddenly having to go to the bar for a refill or visit the bathroom. So Colin had put plan B into action: get him drunk. Like it was common with most people, Logan's tongue loosened once he was drunk. But Logan just didn't seem to want to get drunk so far. Oh, he did drink. But apparently not enough to even give him a buzz, let alone make him talk.

So yeah, Colin was getting slowly to the end of his wits, he thought grumpily as he watched his best friend nurse his drink with a sullen expression out of the corner of his eyes. Well, if neither subtlety nor sneakiness did the trick, then perhaps it was time to get the big guns out and use brutal confrontation.

He turned to face Logan. "I might have an idea how you'll get the female leeches off your back," he offered casually.

One of Logan's eyebrows shot upwards. "Yeah? Then by all means shoot ahead and enlighten your desperate and suffering friend here."

Colin smiled. "Easy. Grab that ring you're hiding in your drawers for over one and a half year now, get into your jet and go take yourself officially off from the market by finally asking Rory the big question."

Logan paled and his face closed off as he looked away. "That's not even funny, Colin," he said in a tense, tight voice.

"No, no it's not funny, you're right about that," Colin agreed with a nod, his eyes boring into the back of Logan's head. "My best friend is unhappy and miserable for nine months now and still too stubborn or proud or whatever to do the only thing that will take care of everything once and for all."

Logan laughed a bitter laugh but then looked back at Colin, glared. "Stay out of this, Colin, it's none of your business."

"Well, tough, but frankly said, if my best friend is on the way to turning into a bitter, old, lonely man, dragging down with him those who love him, then it's damn well my business," he told Logan straight out. "Or even worse, especially, when my friend is getting to be just like his father."

Anger filled his mate's eyes but instead of replying, Logan knocked down the still mostly full drink in front of him, then stood up. "I'm out of here," he growled, moving past Colin.

Colin's hand shot forward to grab Logan's arm in a tight iron grip and yanked him back onto his bar stool. "No. No, you're not. I've watched you closing yourself off from the world long enough and I'm done watching. Now I talk and you'll fucking listen."

"I swear to you, Colin, you better let me go right now, or I'll…"

"You'll what? Beat the crap out of me? Never talk a word with me again?" Colin interrupted Logan's threats. "Come on, why don't we skip this part? We both know that none of that will happen. We are best friends, have been ever since we can remember. And as your best friend I'm telling you now that it's time for you to stop being stubborn and crawl on all fours to Rory if necessary and beg her to take you back because you simply can't live without her."

Logan tried to yank his arm free, but Colin held tight. His eyes blazing with fury, Logan glared daggers at Colin. "You don't know what you're talking about so you better shut up."

"I know that you love her. I know that you miss her like crazy. I _see_ that you're miserable. Yeah, I guess I really have no clue at all," Colin said dryly.

Logan yanked again and this time, he managed to get his arm free. But he stayed where he was. "No, you know nothing! You've never felt more for a girl than attraction. You don't know how it is to love someone so much that it knocks the air out of you, that it almost hurts but you don't give a damn, because as long as you're with her, nothing can hurt you. You don't know how it is to wake up with the love of your life right there in your arms every morning, just like the way you've gone to sleep the previous night. You don't know how it is to have _everything_ and then have to go back to have nothing. You have no idea!" he hissed.

"Then why Logan? Why break up with her in the first place? Why not get her back, get your life back?" Colin honed in relentlessly.

"Because it was the right thing to do!" Logan exclaimed, his hands fisting. "I had to come here or one day, I would have come to hate her for keeping me away from what I thrive to do and I don't want to hate her."

"Okay, but you could have asked her to come with you," Colin pointed out.

Again, Logan laughed bitterly. "And take her away from her family, her home she loves so much? Ruining her chance in the business or at least throwing her back considerably? Even if she had been able to transfer, it wouldn't have been a good idea, not in her last year at college, not when she had just been selected to be the editor of the YDN. Have you any idea how important such an experience is for her career? And not when I knew that the New Haven Daily Post had an eye on her, offering her a job as a freelancer, something that will give her a real good start. Something she'll need, thanks to Daddy dearest and his stupid quest against her which was, surprise, surprise, because of me, because I had the audacity to fall in love with her! You really think that I could take her away from her dream? Do that to her?"

Colin stared at his friend. Logan had never said much about their break-up, always had evaded questions. He was surprised to hear just how deep Logan's reasons went. He thought them bullshit, but it was obvious that Logan had thought long and hard about this. "No. No, I don't think that," he said quietly. "But even then, you didn't have to break up with her. A year is not so long after all. And we're living in the 21st century, you know. It's pretty easy to stay in contact nowadays, especially if one has money _and_ a private jet at his disposal."

For a moment, Logan stared at him, then he shook his head and looked down. "Sure. This time it's a year. But what comes after that? A year in Tokyo? A few months over on the continent? Two years in Africa? Some time in Rio?" He looked back up, his eyes bitter and sad. "I know my father, Colin. London is only the beginning. I'm supposed to come around in the world, learn how the news business works in different ways in different countries, cultures. And if that happens to keep me as far away from the girl I dare to love against his will as possible, then all the better."

Still staring, Colin slowly began to understand the extend of just what had all been behind Logan's reasons to leave Rory behind. "But…"

"I can't do anything against it, Colin, not before my twenty-fifth birthday, perhaps not even then. I can't expect Rory to wait all that time," Logan explained and his voice grew thick with emotion. He motioned for the bartender to serve him another drink. "Besides… the way things were going right before I left I'm not sure she even wanted to be with me anymore, let alone have a life together."

"What?" Colin exclaimed, flabbergasted.

"Things had changed. I don't know if it had been her finding out about the girls I slept with during our break-up or me having to go to London or whatever, but… things had cooled down between us." Logan shook his head. "So we decided to make a clean break. It was for the best."

"Bullshit," Colin stated calmly.

"Colin…"

"That's crap and you know that! You love her…"

"But does she love me? Enough to go through all that shit I'll have to go through if I want to take over the business one day? To trust me when we're apart for weeks, if not months?" Logan interrupted him vehemently. "You know, she could have asked me to stay, to not go as well, but she never did. She could have proposed to try staying together anyway, but she didn't. She just said goodbye and turned her back on me."

'Ah', Colin thought as he watched his friend turn away and grabbing the new drink in front of him, knocking it down in one, long gulp and then waving for another. 'And here we're coming to the bottom of the real problem.' Oh, not that he had thought the reasons Logan had enumerated previously hadn't been valuable as well. But he knew Logan. Such things like geographical problems and going against his family wouldn't stop him from going after what he wanted. Or who he wanted in this case. And that Logan wanted Rory was never a question. But fear of rejection… anger for her lack of fight for him… now, that made a lot more sense. Actually, it made perfect sense.

Idiot.

Stupid, stupid idiot, Colin thought as he watched Logan knock back a third drink. Looked like he had finally managed to get Logan drunk. Good. Colin was far from finished with beating some sense into his best friend. A little help from Johnny and Co wouldn't hurt there.

"You ever thought that perhaps, Rory didn't want to stay in the way of your dreams either?" he asked gently.

Logan glanced at him, frowning. "What?"

"Rory always had known, recognized, that deep down, you're just what your father wants you to be… a newsman through and through. She was the one who got you to enjoy this whole newspaper thing for the first time in your life and got you to admit that you enjoy it. She was the one who always believed in your abilities, in your potential and urged you to act on them, to be what you want to be, despite it being what you were always expected to do and you simply hated to be on the same page as your father," Colin elaborated. "The way I see it, she'd never have asked you to give all that up for her. She wouldn't even dream that maybe, she's worth more than all of that." He smiled affectionately. "After all, we all know just how little she knows of her importance, her value to us." His eyes sharpened. "You ever thought about that? Ever entertained the possibility that she was as desperately waiting for you to say something as you wanted _her_ to say something?"

Colin could see how his word slowly penetrated through Logan's mind, through the walls he had build up ever since last summer and, as a result, how a deep, unsure frown now appeared between Logan's eyes. Good. The dumbhead finally started thinking. Colin spotted a girl sending stolen, inviting glances his way and pushed away from the bar. "And now if you'll excuse me, I spot a lady dying for my attention," he told Logan and left his friend behind at the counter.

Obviously, Logan had to think through a few things. When Colin glanced back he saw Logan knocking down yet another drink. And ordered a little more. For the time being he would let him be, while keeping an eye on him. After that… time to strike the final blow, so to speak.

* * *

"Got anything out of him?" Finn asked first thing as he picked up his cell phone.

"Other than he's probably the biggest idiot of the world? Yeah, I got some things," Colin answered tiredly.

"Let me guess. He was miffed because she said nothing about them staying together?" Finn guessed knowingly.

"Dead right," Colin confirmed and frowned. "You wanna tell me that all this time, she waited for him to open his mouth?" he then asked unbelievingly.

Finn laughed dryly. "This surprises you?"

"No… no, I guess not," Colin sighed and shook his head. "Those dumb heads."

"Bloody fools," Finn agreed wholeheartedly.

"But she still loves him, doesn't she?" Colin asked.

Finn glanced at Rory, sleeping soundly on the bed, curled up into a tight ball, with tears falling from her closed eyes, wetting her pale cheeks, and he sighed. "No doubts about that."

"Good. 'Cause if you ask me, Logan loves her now more than ever," Colin told his friend, glancing at the man in question, passed out on his bed now. He had gotten drunk in the end. Very drunk. And even now in his sleep, Colin could see the pain he was in because Rory wasn't there beside him.

Finn nodded grimly. "Okay then, time for phase four."

Colin frowned. "Phase four? What happened to phase three? We just finished phase two."

"That's where you're wrong," Finn corrected his mate. "Phase one: deciding to do something about the unbearable situation and enlist your help. Phase two: hunting the two fools down, giving them a false sense of security, making them feel comfortable, and relaxing them so the way is clear for… Phase three: getting to the bottom of the problem, with force if necessary."

"Well, I think phase one isn't a real phase," Colin protested.

Finn rolled his eyes. "My plan, my phases. Anyway, it's time for the next phase now."

Colin nodded. "Definitely. Time to strike."

"Launch the attack and restore things to how they're supposed to be," Finn agreed, grinning devilishly.

* * *

TBC!

_(Author's note: Well, that one was long overdue, sorry about that. The next one shouldn't take that long as this time, I know exactly what comes next. Besides, only two more chapters and this baby will be finished, I think. Yay! And yeah, I'm aware that St. Patrick's Day's long over. But I think it's safe to assume that those who still read this one will agree with me that it's not necessary to wait until next year to continue this one. And yeah, I also know that so far, it looks promising for Rory and Logan in the show. But then, I started this before the last episode of season 6 – and we never know just what bullshit the authors will come up with to ruin this perfect couple. Anyway, hope you still enjoy this story anyway!)_


	5. IV Phase IV

**Chapter 4: Phase IV**

The moment Rory opened her eyes, pain exploded in her head. Groaning, she hurried to squeeze her eyes shut again.

"Morning, love!"

She knew that voice. She knew she knew that voice. She just couldn't concentrate on putting a name to the voice as the two words were still echoing loudly in her head.

"Owww, not so loud," she grumbled, trying to bury her head deeper into the soft cushion her head was laying on.

"Headache?"

Why would that idiot not simply leave her alone? "Right now there's a sledgehammer world cup going on up there," she whimpered.

"You know, I don't think there are many people who can be as descriptive as you after a night like you had one," the voice said, amused.

Night? What night? Uh… and for that matter, what day was it?

There was a shadow of memory and she tried to grab it, to remember… she had been working on finishing an article, then…

Finn.

Of course, Finn. Ugh, now that explained a few things. This was all his fault. "Go away," she mumbled.

"And rob you of the pleasure of my presence? I don't think so," Finn answered. A moment later, Rory could feel one of his big hands on her shoulder. "Come on, now, love, I've got something for you. But you'll need to open those killer eyes of yours for that."

"Uh-uh," Rory groaned. "Hurts."

"I know, love, but if you don't open your eyes now it will hurt a lot longer than necessary," Finn's sympathetic voice floated over her.

"This better be worth it," she grumbled. With a sigh, Rory started to slowly open her eyes, whimpering a little when light exploded in a hurtful ball in her head again. This time though she forced herself to keep them open, well, at least a little. After all, as tempting as it was right now to just lay there and never have to open her eyes again, it would probably get boring at some point.

Once her blurry sight cleared enough to take in a grinning and awfully cheerful looking Finn, her eyes dropped to the mug he held out to her. She sniffed the air then glared at Finn. "That's not coffee."

"Always impressed by your detective skills," Finn chuckled. "Now drink it."

Rory made a face. "I want coffee," she whined.

"In a moment. For now, drink this," Finn though insisted.

She stared at it suspiciously, then shook her head, a movement she regretted on the spot. Ow. "Not drinking this. It looks eew. And it stinks."

"If it wouldn't stink and look like shit, and I promise you, it will taste even worse, then it wouldn't be my most patented hangover drink," Finn explained patiently. "There's nothing better, trust me. Now get it in you, drink it and then you can have your coffee."

Rory stared unhappily at the drink. The problem was, she did trust Finn. He was the expert on hangovers after all. If he said it would help, it would help. But she really, really, _really_ didn't want to force that thing down.

Finn sighed. "If it helps you can close your eyes again and hold close your nose. I won't tell."

With a sigh, Rory very carefully sat up and grabbed the drink. "Do I also get a taco?" she asked in a small, childlike voice.

"Whatever the lady wishes," Finn assured her with an amused smile.

With a sigh, Rory did just what Finn told her. She squeezed her eyes shut again, held her nose close and swallowed the disgusting brew in four large gulps. Finn was right. It tasted worse than shit.

Not that she could actually compare it. But there was nothing that could taste as bad as this thing.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Rory moaned.

"Nah, that's just the first reaction to the brew. Should pass soon. Just lie down again and wait a little," Finn told her grinning, but his eyes were gentle when he took the now empty mug out of her hands.

A minute passed.

"Any better already?" Finn asked impatiently.

Rory threw him a glare. She did feel a little better though. Seemed like Finn hadn't promised too much about his special hangover drink. Didn't mean though that she was ready to take on Finn. "How come you're so awfully cheerful anyway? Shouldn't you be in an even worse shape than me?" she asked annoyed.

"Practice, love," Finn let her know with a smirk. "Besides, someone at least had to stay a little sober and as you had decided to take on the Irish yesterday…" he spread his hands.

"Well next time, talk me out of such stupid ideas," Rory grumbled, rubbing at her temples. Unfortunately, more and more images of the last night started to come to her. She frowned. "Have I dreamt it or did I really perform a table dance?" she asked ominously.

Finn's wide, shit-eating grin said it all and with another groan, she buried her head into her hands. "Tell me now I took off my clothes too and I'm going to have face surgery and move far, far away under another name."

Laughing, Finn drew her hands away from her face. "No need to be so dramatic, Gilmore. I doubt anyone in that bar knew you. Besides, what happens in Dublin stays in Dublin."

She frowned. "I thought that's Vegas."

"And anywhere on the world where the great day is being honored," Finn said. Then his eyes took on a wicked gleam. "Of course there's this wonderful contraption called digital camera."

Alarmed, Rory sat up abruptly, ignoring the firework erupting in her head, to glare threateningly at Finn. "Finn, don't you dare to even think about showing anyone, and I mean _anyone_, any picture you have taken yesterday!"

He gave her his puppy dog eyes. "Now where would the fun be in that?"

"Finn…"

"But don't worry. I sure know not to waste such perfect blackmail material. For now you're safe from exposure," he promised her.

Rory didn't like the sound of that at all, not at all. But as the firework was still going on in her head and because she knew Finn, she decided to let it rest for now…and think about a way to get to whatever pictures he had on that camera and erase them.

And she needed coffee. God, she really needed coffee right now.

"Didn't I hear you say something about getting coffee if I drink that gruesome stuff?" she wanted to know, fixing her eyes on him. "I hope you still remember the rules about me and coffee."

"Love, even I know by now not to mess with a Gilmore and her addiction to coffee," he told her with a grin and briefly vanished through a door. When he came back a minute later with a new mug and a bag in his hands, Rory eagerly grabbed the mug, inhaled the heavenly aroma and then downed the liquid almost as quickly as she had forced down Finn's hangover drink. Once she was finished, she sighed. "Now, _that_ is better," she declared and held out the mug for a refill.

Rolling his eyes, Finn complied. "And they thought I was crazy when I ordered a full can," he commented dryly. "Obviously, they never had a Gilmore staying here before."

"Obviously not… uh, where are we again?" Rory asked, taking a look around.

"In the hotel," Finn answered.

"Gee, thanks," Rory replied sarcastically. "Kind of figured that one out myself. But I don't remember checking into a hotel. Didn't you say something from partying we'd go back to the plane?" She frowned. "Uh… what time is it anyway? Already midday?"

"It's almost five," Finn let her know. "And you don't remember checking in because you were already passed out at that time."

"Five? That better be five pm or I'm going to be seriously pissed," Rory muttered. Though to be honest, she wasn't sure if she wanted it really to be that late in the afternoon. She didn't mind sleeping in but until five in the afternoon?

"Boy, aren't you just Miss Sunshine today?" Finn said dryly and got up to go over to the windows where he pulled the blinds open.

Rory glanced at the sky through the blinds. Heavy clouds were hanging low and it was already starting to get dark again, but yeah, it was definitely not five am.

"Besides, we did party through and then got straight back to the plane," Finn said casually as he opened the windows.

A rush of cold air floated in and Rory shivered. "Hey!" she protested. "Will you…" That's when his words dawned on her and her eyes widened. "Wait, what did you say? We got _what_? But where…"

He turned back to face her, but said nothing. It wasn't necessary as, at that moment, bells started to ring, and announced five o'clock.

Very particular bells.

Very typical for a certain city and that was sure as hell not Dublin.

Paling, Rory jumped up and backed away, shaking her head. "No. Oh no. Finn… what the hell did you do?" she exclaimed.

Finn sighed, his eyes heavy on her. "I did what you asked me to, love."

"I sure as hell didn't tell you to take me to London!" Rory snapped.

No, this wasn't happening. She wasn't here. She couldn't be here. What if Logan…

"You told me to take you home," Finn said quietly.

"Yeah home! The States! Connecticut, Yale, ring any bells?" Rory angrily said, looking around for her things. She needed to get away from here. It was bad enough back at home, missing him so terribly. But here? Being so near and still not being able to be with him again? That was even worse.

"I asked you: 'Home where?'," Finn told her and something in his voice made her stop and look back at him, meet his eyes that shone with warmth and understanding. And something else. What was that? "Your answer was simple, but clear, Rory."

Rory stilled, dreading what he was going to say. No… surely she hadn't…

"Logan," Finn said very gently.

Oh yeah, she had. Damn it!

"I was drunk," she whispered.

Slowly, Finn came over to stand in front of her. "In vino veritas, love. Even the Romans knew that way back then already!"

"You don't understand!" Rory exclaimed, shaking her head. "I can't…"

"You're right, I don't understand." Finn shook his head and she could see that he was getting angry now. Or frustrated. "I swear, I've never seen two such fools like you and Logan. What the bloody hell is so hard for me to understand? You love each other. You're both going crazy with missing each other and that's no wonder because you two are simply incomplete without the other one. Neither of you is happy, both of you are feeling miserable, but still, you act as if the world's going to end just because you're in the same city as Logan now?"

"But Logan, what if…"

Finn stepped even closer and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a little. "Have you heard anything I said, love? Logan nothing! He's as stubborn and stupid as you are, but the moment he lays eyes on you, he'll sweep you off your feet and will never let go again." He took a deep breath that seemed to calm him because when he continued, his voice was soft. "He loves you, Rory. You. He loves his work as well, but without you, it can't satisfy him. It's not enough for him. He _needs_ you."

Rory stared at him, but she couldn't say anything, the lump in her throat was too big for that. She desperately wanted to believe him. But she didn't dare to. Because if she did and then were to find out that he had been wrong, that her hope had been pointless… she wouldn't be able to bear it. She was managing barely as it was. And that alone scared her. That her need for Logan was so overwhelming that she wasn't sure she could cope without him. That wasn't how she wanted to be.

"Why are you so afraid, love? He's not going to hurt you, not if he knows what's good for him. And believe me, the last thing he'll be thinking of when you're standing in front of him will be to send you away again," Finn continued, giving her a leery wink.

The wink made Rory smile. With a sigh she looked down and leaned the top of her head against Finn's chest. She felt his hands loosening his grip on her shoulders to pull her into a hug. It calmed her, centered her, more than she had been since Logan had left. How could it be that a person as energetic and chaotic as Finn was could radiate such calmness and safeness?

And then she found herself talking. "But what if I lose myself? Mom raised me to be an independent, strong woman who can stand on her own two feet. Then I met Logan, fell in love with him. You all say that he changed, because of me. But I changed too, Finn. Some things were good, but there are things that I don't like so much. Most of all, I simply don't seem to function without him anymore." She raised her head to gaze into Finn's eyes. "It's so hard to be apart from him. And I miss him so much. But somewhere deep down, I know that this time, I'll be able to get over him more or less intact. At least we separated in mutual agreement, without a fight, without hate." She smiled sadly. "If I go now to him and find out that he doesn't want me anymore… I'm not sure how well I'll be able to cope with that."

"But love, he'll…"

"Or he's as glad to see me as you tell me he will be. And then we get back together again. But Finn, what comes next? He's still stuck here in London. And I'd be very surprised if his father will just let him come back to me once the year is over. Where will he be sent then? And it's not just his job. Mine, if I'll get any job, won't be easy on time or traveling either. We can try to make it work, and a big part of me wants to, but… there's also this tiny voice that tells me that this time, I won't get over him again if it doesn't work out." Rory looked away. "I hate that, it sounds so needy, but I can't help it. He's…"

Finn cupped her cheek and forced her to look at him again. "He's your soul mate. As you are his. I can imagine that such a thing, such a strong love like you two share, can be scary in its intensity. But, love, that's just it. It's so strong, so why are you so afraid it won't work? If you two want it to, it will, I have no doubt about that. Sure, there's no guarantee, no one can give you that. But just think about the happiness you can attain if you two get back together, instead of the pain it may or may not cause you, should it not work. So maybe, the next few years will be hard on the two of you. Who cares? These past few months should have proven to both of you that without the other, it will be even worse. Together though…"

Was he right? Was she really so foolish? After all, hadn't she wished for the past eight months and three weeks to be with Logan again? To not have let him go, at least not emotionally? Yet, now that she was here, so near him, she suddenly got cold feet. For what?

"You know, the last year hadn't been easy on Logan either, with his father putting so much pressure on him. Yet, he's never been happier. Because of you," Finn added, his thumb stroking over her cheek.

Rory remembered the haunted look in Logan's eyes whenever he had gotten back from one of his many meetings with his father, remembered how it disappeared after a while though when he was back with his friends and her. And she remembered how crappy she had been feeling when she had been on the outs with her mother, missing what they had had so much that sometimes, all she wanted to do was cry. Remembered how the only solace she had had in that time was when she had been in Logan's arms, when he had taken the pain away from her, sometimes by merely a simple, innocent smile.

"He's here, love. You just have to let me take you to him, it's about ten minutes from here," Finn whispered. "I can drag you there, and I will if I have to, because I want you and Logan back and you know that I put my happiness above everything, but I think the two of you would prefer it if you went to him on your own."

Ten minutes? Only ten minutes? Rory closed her eyes and there he was, his eyes, smiling mischievously at her, but full of love. She could hear his voice, soothing, calming. She remembered the contentedness she had felt whenever she had been in his arms.

She opened her eyes again. Screw everything to hell, she wanted her man back.

Slowly, her eyes focused back on Finn who had waited patiently, and had now a huge smile on his face, in his eyes.

"You always claimed that Logan got his good eye for sizes and the perfect outfit from you. Now's the time to prove it. Go get me an outfit that will knock Logan over," she told him and turned away from him to head to the bathroom.

Now that she had made up her mind she was anxious to finally see Logan. But she was nursing a hangover and she knew what that meant to her looks. If she had waited that long, she might as well wait a little longer to make herself at least presentable so she wouldn't scare people away with her appearance.

"And for heaven's sake, get me that taco you promised me!" she added but then smiled at the memory that her words reminded her of. The last time she had needed a taco that much had been when Logan had wanted to go steady, instead of breaking up. Back then, her hangover had brought her luck. She just hoped that this time, it would turn out as lucky for her as then.

Finn went to pick up the bag he had brought in with the coffee and handed it to her with a light bow. "Here, Ma'am, just like you ordered," he drawled in the worst Texas drawl she'd ever heard. "And that killer dress is already waiting for you in the bathroom, Ma'am. I think it'll meet your approval. And certainly my buddy's too, Ma'am."

"Call me Ma'am again and I'll mention a certain escapade in New Orleans to Colin and Logan, Finn," Rory warned.

"You wouldn't dare," he countered confidently, but his eyes did widen a bit.

"Try me," she said, smiling sweetly at him.

His smile matched hers. "You seem to forget that I now hold certain pictures of one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, the Third, doing a table dance," he reminded her.

Damn. He was right with that. But…

"Oh Finn, I may have been pretty plastered… but do you really think that it was as embarrassing as New Orleans?" she asked in her most sugar sweet voice.

The dark look on his face said it all.

Laughing, Rory left him to go get herself ready for her man.

* * *

"Hmm… Yeah, got it… Sure, good luck…"

The murmur of these words that echoed a hundred times louder in his head woke Logan up. He didn't open his eyes though. He wasn't quite sure what had happened or where he was, but he had partied enough in his life to recognize the signs of a hangover. And opened eyes and hangover never worked well together. So he was perfectly happy to stay where he was, his face buried into something soft and wait until it would be less painful to acknowledge to the world that he was still alive.

Someone else though had other plans. Something cold and wet hit the back of his neck and with a curse, Logan jerked his head around, his eyes opening to glare at the bastard who had dared to drop that thing onto him.

Big mistake.

A marching band, sledgehammers and fireworks started to go off in his head and with a groan, Logan quickly squeezed his eyes shut again.

Fuck, that hurt.

"You got one minute and next thing over your head will be a bucket of water."

The haze in his mind cleared enough to name the bastard. Colin. Figures.

"Go to hell," Logan mumbled, letting his head fall back down on the cushion.

"Cheerful as ever, I see. Forty seconds," Colin replied dryly and Logan could hear him move in the room. Hard to miss as a giant couldn't possibly make more noise.

"Find the door," Logan told him unfazed.

"And miss all the fun? I don't think so. Twenty seconds," Colin's voice said, closer now. There was another sound too… wait, was that swapping water? Or a tsunami?

Fuck. Looked like he did have to open his eyes again after all. He did so carefully and winced when bright light hit his sensitive eyes. Nope, not a tsunami. Logan glared at Colin. "You throw even a drop of that water on me and you're going to die."

"Yeah sure, I'm going to believe that," Colin answered unimpressed and grinned. "It's your choice anyway. You got five seconds left to get up until you take a shower."

Logan knew Colin. He would do it.

Shit.

"Asshole," he hissed, but pushed himself up into a sitting position, dropping his pounding head into his hands.

"Aww, I love you too. Come on, drink this," Colin said and held out a mug to him.

The stench hit him even before Logan could take a look through his finger. Unfortunately, he knew that awful smell only too well and his stomach rolled. "Ugh, no…"

"Fine, whatever you want. It's your head after all," Colin said with a shrug and put the mug down on the night table.

His night table, Logan noticed. Looked like they had gotten home after all. Hell knows how.

Sighing deeply, Logan reached for the mug. He'd rather drink his own urine, but hell, Finn's patented hangover mixture may smell like shit and taste even worse, but sadly, it did wonders to a heavy, aching head. He sputtered and made a grimace, once the brew was forced down his throat. God, how could something so awful help so much?

"Feel better?"

Logan glared over at Colin. He could feel the mixture do its wonders already though. Within an hour and with the help of a little coffee and a shower he should feel fine enough. Well… at least to face work. Incidentally… what time was it anyway? Logan glanced at the clock on his night table and his eyes widened.

17:44?

17:44!

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

"Why the hell didn't you wake me up?" Logan exclaimed, ignoring the pounding protest his head screamed. "Work… I need to get into work!"

Colin simply raised an eyebrow. "You do know that it's Saturday, don't you?"

It was Saturday? Right… But still… hadn't there been some meeting scheduled for today? Someone his father wanted him to meet. Shit, that would mean trouble.

"And that you, being the boss, can't be late?" Colin added.

Logan shook his head and went over to his dresser to get himself some clothes.

"But being the Good Samaritan that I am, I called in for you to let them know that you won't be in today," Colin said and sighed. "But of course I got that old dragon on the phone, so no guaranties, man."

Logan stopped dead in his tracks and turned to stare at Colin. "You did what?"

"Called in sick for you," Colin repeated patiently, then shook his head. "Though then, who in his right mind expects people to work after St. Patrick's? Anyway, Elsie said it's no problem, that you hadn't had anything scheduled for today anyway."

Hadn't he? But that meeting… no, no that one was on Monday. Okay… then he guessed it wasn't so bad if he had slept in. Logan frowned. It's been quite a while since he had slept in, let alone all through the day. Then again, it's been a while since he had been that intoxicated. His momentary energy leaving him, he let himself drop back down on his bed. "God… just how much did I have to drink yesterday?" he asked, more to himself than to Colin.

Colin had no problems answering him though. "Let's just say that Finn would have wept with pride."

"That bad, huh?" Logan sighed and tried to remember the last day.

Okay, what was there? Colin showing up. Check. Dragging Logan out to watch the parade, then the street party. Check. Then hit the bars… Check. Until then he hadn't had that much alcohol, he remembered that much but then, how…

Oh… right, Logan thought darkly as he finally remembered Colin cornering him about Rory. Shit. No wonder he had hit the booze that hard.

"Couldn't you have just stayed out of things that aren't your business anyway," Logan asked angrily and got up to stomp back to his dressers and grab himself some sweats and a shirt.

"I assume you're talking about that charming lady of yours," Colin said and made himself comfortable in one of the leather chairs.

Logan shook his head. "Leave it, Colin, I mean it," he warned his friend.

"No, no, I think I won't. I think there's still a lot to be said about your Ace," Colin answered him calmly.

Upon hearing that special nickname Logan had for Rory, Logan closed his eyes as he felt a wave of pain slamming right into his heart. Damn it, he couldn't take this right now. Why couldn't Colin just let it go? Why couldn't he see that it fucking hurt to think about Rory, talk about her? And hear him referring to Rory as Logan's time and time again was the worst of it all. Because it only reminded him very clearly of the fact that she wasn't his anymore. He had lost her. Simple as that… horrible as that.

"No there isn't," Logan said evenly. "We're over, she's the past. End of story."

"Right, that's why you call her voice mail every day to just hear her voice," Colin said dryly.

How… shit… just how drunk had he been the previous night to go spill out that little secret of his?

Colin stood up and strode over to Logan's night table, pulling out the top drawer. When his hand came out again, it held a little, dark blue velvet box. "Or why do you keep this here, right under that picture of Rory? Why do you, each night, take this out, stare at it, finger it?"

With two big strides, Logan was right in front of Colin and snapped the box out of his hands. "Don't touch that!" he hissed and put it back into the drawer, slamming it shut.

"Wake up, Logan!" Colin all but yelled. "You are far from over her. You are anything but over her."

Without a word, Logan walked to the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Inside, Logan leaned on the sink and stared down, breathing hard. Did Colin really think he didn't know that he was still very much in love with his Ace? Why had he had to bring Rory up anyway? So far, neither Colin nor Finn had ever said anything, and now this attack was launched on him. As if it wasn't already bad enough, without Colin pushing that much. Trying to convince him to just forget everything and head back to the States, go get Rory back. Making it sound so easy, so uncomplicated.

If it had been that easy, he would have done it long ago. Hell, he had thought every fucking day of these eight months and three weeks to do just that.

But he couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to Rory. It wouldn't be fair to him.

Frustrated, Logan stepped into the shower, turning on the water. Besides… who told him that Rory was even waiting for him, back home? They were broken up. She could do whatever she wanted, go out with whomever she wanted… And she was a one-guy kind of type, so if she was going out with someone else, it probably was more than just a little dating.

Hell…

His Ace was a catch and he knew perfectly well that some guys had just been waiting for him and Rory to break up so they could have a chance with her. His hands fisted. For sure they were swarming around her like bees around a pot of honey.

And he couldn't do anything to stop it. Had no right to. Not anymore.

Quickly, he put on shampoo and shower gel. If she had found someone new already… he had no right to butt in. Not without being able to give her something, but he couldn't. Rory needed stability. He had seen it when she had dropped out for a semester. Then, she hadn't had any constancy, steadiness, and she hadn't been happy. She had coped, had functioned, but she sure as hell hadn't been happy. Logan had done his best to cheer her up but it was only afterwards, after their first break-up that he realized just what she would have needed from him to really help her during that time. His love, his heart, giving her a sense of the home she had lost with the estrangement from her mother. Yeah, she needed stability, a home, and for the next few years, Logan wouldn't be able to give her that. Not with his father still controlling him.

Logan turned off the water with force and stepped out of the shower, patting himself dry with a towel.

If he had found a way to be able to make her promises, and be able to keep them, then he would have gone back to the States in a heartbeat, to Rory, taken her. Or rather convinced her to take him back. But he hadn't. Almost nine months, and he had come up with nothing. He, mastermind, organizer of daring stunts and challenges, and he came up with nothing. Zilch. The most important person in his life, and his mind was blank. Actually, the longer he had been here in London, the more obstacles he could see to his plan to somehow find his way back to Rory.

In a way, it had been easier to bear the distance between the two of them from London. Here, she was at least far away, out of reach. The few times he had been back in the States, for business or for a quick visit to his family, it somehow seemed worse. To know that his Ace was so near, yet unable to go see her.

Go make love to her.

He started to slowly dress himself. It's been torture. So he had avoided going back as often as he could. Finn and Colin had complained, but not as much as Logan had thought they would. Probably, because they had guessed his reasons for rather staying in London and had respected it, without any word.

Until now.

Until Colin had to come and mess everything up, tear open again every wound, confuse Logan, mess with his head.

And Logan was tired. So tired. Tired of fighting with himself over his decision to leave Rory behind. Tired of missing Rory. Tired of only existing rather than living. Tired of not being able to follow his heart. Tired of bowing to destiny. Tired of being unable to find a way to get his life back. Tired of wanting to get his Ace back. Tired.

When he came back out of the bathroom, Colin was still there, of course. Pretty much the last person Logan wanted to see now. He didn't want to be in anyone's company right now. Best would probably be if he just went to work, finish that article Colin's arrival had interrupted. Yeah. That was what he was going to do. Go to work, turn his head off, concentrate on the matter at hand, allowing himself not a second to dwell over Colin's words or that deep voice inside him that screamed to call Rory or even better, go back and see her, talk to her.

Sweep her off her feet and never let her go again.

Irritated, Logan pushed that treacherous thought away. He couldn't allow himself such thoughts.

"Got it. No, almost done. Yeah, later," Colin said into his cell phone, shut it and turned to Logan.

"I'm heading to work," Logan told him before Colin even had a chance to say something.

Colin frowned. "And you think that will help escape the pain?"

Logan said nothing and simply went to get himself a jacket and his briefcase.

"It's sad, you know. You never were a chicken shit before. Then, there comes a woman along and puff, gua, gua, gua…" Colin said with a sigh and shook his head. "How very cliché of you, Logan. I'm seriously disappointed in you."

Logan slammed his keys, which he had just gotten, back to the table and turned to face Colin, angry. "You know what, I think it's best you go mind your own business now and leave me alone. Seriously, Colin, you're my best friend, but this isn't your business and I won't let you continue harassing me, got that?" he asked furiously.

For a long moment, Colin simply stared at him, apparently unfazed by his words. Then he shook his head again. "Sorry mate, no can do. See, your stubbornness doesn't just cause pain to you only. You're not the only one who loves Rory. Perhaps not in the way you love her, but love anyway. I miss her too. And Finn really misses her a lot, especially as he sees her almost every day but because of this ridiculous break-up he can't go to her, talk with her and that's really not easy for him after being friends with her for two years."

Great, and now Colin tried to send him to a guilt trip on top of it all. Well, fine. But Logan wasn't going to play along. "I never told you or Finn to break contact with Ace," he clarified and turned.

Colin ignored his protest and took a step closer to Logan. "But most of all, it hurts Rory."

Briefly, Logan closed his eyes. He couldn't listen to this. He needed to get out, right now, or…

"You know, Finn said she's not doing so well lately," Colin said softly, quietly.

Logan's thoughts came to an abrupt stop and he whirled around, stepping up to Colin with one big stride. "What? What do you mean she's not doing well? Is she sick? Does she have problems with school? The paper?" he demanded to know, his heart beating fast. "For heaven's sake, Colin, answer me already!"

Colin's eyes held an edge as he continued, but there was also gentleness in them. "No, Logan, she's not sick, not yet. And school and work is good as she has thrown herself into it just like you have. But that's just it. She only works, never goes out. She's pale, she lost weight and she hardly smiles anymore, at least no real smile. Her shine is diminishing, Logan, and that's because of you. Because she misses you as much as you miss her. Because she's as miserable as you are, as incomplete as you are feeling." He took a deep breath and blushed a little. "Look, this will sound terribly cheesy now, but it's how I figure it is… in the time you two had been together, your lives, your souls if you want, have woven themselves together and now, neither of you can be happy anymore without the other." Colin's voice dropped to an urgent whisper. "You need each other."

Logan stood frozen on the spot, each of Colin's words slamming into him like a sledgehammer. Rory… if she was really as bad as he was…

Colin took his coat and stepped past Logan. "It's on you now, Logan. Either go ahead and be stubborn, stay here and make yourself and the woman you love more than life itself miserable or take a leap and go win her back, grab your chance at happiness."

Before Logan could even think about an answer, the doorbell rang.

Irritated, he stared at the door. He wasn't expecting anyone. And he sure as hell wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone else right now.

"Won't you get that?" Colin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Logan said shortly, turning his back to the door.

"It could be Finn, you know. He said he'll come by later on," Colin mentioned casually. "You really should open the door. It could be something important after all."

Throwing up his arms Logan turned back around and marched over to the door. "Fine!" he hissed, figuring that it would be better to just open the damn door than to listen to Colin go on and on about it.

He angrily opened the door, and the instant his eyes fell on his visitor, every thought left his mind as his eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

* * *

"Here's the key for the elevator. His apartment is on the top floor," Finn told Rory and pressed a key into the palm of her hand.

"Figures," she murmured.

"Hey, a guy has to have his standards," Finn said with a grin.

Rory shook her head. "Sometimes I really ask myself why I'm friends with you snobbish bunch," she remarked dryly.

Finn gave her an even bigger grin and slapped an arm around her shoulder to draw her into the crook of his arm. "Because you love us," he told her cheerfully.

"Which is beyond me," Rory said with a nod.

"Well, what's there not to love?" Finn asked with raised eyebrows then became serious and looked down at Rory with knowing eyes. "And you, my love, are stalling. I just wonder why? What are you waiting for?"

With a sigh, Rory looked up to the top floor, where, according to Finn, Logan was. "I dunno. For my nerves to calm down? For finding the courage to go face him? For words to say to him, to explain why I'm here? For this whole thing feeling like it's not so big, so ultimately life-changing, and world-shifting?" she asked quietly.

Finn squeezed her shoulders and smiled down at her, affectionately. "Just go, Rory. Everything will be fine in a little while, you'll see." He gave her a little push that sent her out of his arms. "Go, love. He's waiting for you."

Rory sent him a last, long look, before she breathed in deeply and turned to slowly enter the building where Logan was residing while in London. As instructed by Finn, she went into the left elevator, inserted the key and pressed 'P'. Smoothly, the elevator started to move upwards. Nervous, Rory waited. This was ridiculous. This was Logan. They weren't fighting, they had separated as friends, and there was no reason to be so nervous, wasn't there? Wrong. She had every reason to! This was Logan, her Logan… well, if that was still true, she would find out in a few minutes, when she finally faced him.

But what should she say? A simple 'Hello Logan?' Or be a bit more direct? Like 'Here I am, take me?' Definitely not. Repeat his words from so long ago, the night they first had slept together? 'Hello stranger?' Maybe. Or the brutal truth and beg it actually was: 'I love you. I can't live without you so please, please take me back'? Now if something screamed for endless humiliation that would be the one. Unfortunately, it was still the truest way she could think of.

The elevator stopped at the top floor. Oh God! Here it was. Very slowly, she stepped out and moved tentatively to the only door in the small hallway. She checked the nameplate to be sure she was at the right door.

_L. Huntzberger._

This was it. He lived here. Just push the button and… yeah well, that was the problem. What then? Would he send her away, having moved on? Was he alone? Would he ask her in? Would he, like Finn seemed to believe, simply stare at her for a moment then crush her in a hug, kiss her senseless, sweep her off her feet?

There was only one way to find out.

Taking a deep breath, she rang the bell.

* * *

It couldn't be. It just couldn't.

_Rory?_

Just how much exactly had he had to drink last night? And what had been in that brew Colin had made him drink? LSD? Because he had to be hallucinating. This couldn't be his Ace, could it?

Still, hope like he had never known it before flamed up. He knew it was stupid to hope, but God, this hallucination sure looked damn real.

And then it happened.

"Logan," she choked out and her eyes seemed to drink the mere sight of him.

Her shaky voice, so full of emotion, and her eyes, shining in the clearest crystal blue he'd ever seen, broke him out of his frozen stupor. No hallucination could sound so real. And no imagined eyes could shine so much like the real ones.

Rory… his Ace… she was really there, standing in front of him, her heart in her eyes.

And right then and there, nothing mattered anymore, not the question of how she got there, not what she was doing there or not even what it would mean for them in the future. Right now, there was only one thing that mattered.

She was there, standing right in front of him.

Logan took one step and scooped her up into his arms, pressing that luscious body of hers against his and blindly captured her lips in a kiss, a passionate kiss like the world hadn't seen so far.

And there was only one important thought that settled in both their minds, in both their hearts.

Home.

* * *

"Well?"

As he joined him, Colin beamed the biggest shit-eating grin Finn had ever seen on his mate. "Fifty-six seconds of dumbfounded staring before our boy finally sprang into action and swooped her up into his arms, then the two kissing as if they were dying of thirst and the other one is the water they have been searching for for days." He shook his head. "Damn, that was a kiss." He laughed. "I doubt either of them noticed me leaving. I swear, Finn, from the moment their eyes met, the world around them ceased to exist. Nothing mattered to them anymore," he sighed, growing more serious. "I'm not sure if a love like that is a good thing or not. It's so intense I sometimes fear it will burn them."

Finn looked up to the windows of Logan's apartment, light shining warmly out of them. He shook his head. "It's worth it, Colin. You can't wish for more." He looked away. "And as long as those fools stay together now, it will be fine."

And Logan better watch out and treated Rory better than before. Finn loved his mate, like a brother, but if Logan messed up again, he doubted he'd find the strength within himself to be the good sport and stand back again.

Upon hearing the melancholy in the heavily accented voice, Colin took a moment to watch his other best friend. Finn only spoke with a heavy Australian accent if he wanted to flirt or if his emotions got the better of him. And he could see the sadness, if not even bitterness in his green eyes, just like he could see the happiness for their friends, the satisfaction with what they had achieved… that they brought these two idiots back together.

And that, Colin reminded himself with a silent sigh, was exactly what was breaking Finn's heart right now. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

Finn avoided looking at him. "I will be," he said simply and started to walk away from Colin. "But I sure as hell deserve to be the best man now," he added in a low voice.

"Hey, where are you going?" Colin called after him with a frown, not even bothering to deny Finn that right anymore. Finn was right. If anyone, he deserved this honor.

"Away," came the short answer.

This time sighing loudly, Colin let him go, knowing that his friend needed to be alone right now. Hell, if he was in his place he would probably want to get as far away from here as possible as well. He looked back up to Logan's apartment again and involuntarily, he smiled.

At least there was one happy ending for today, he thought, contented.

Phase IV was successfully accomplished.

* * *

TBC

_(Author's Note: Well, a more official one. First of all, thanks for the many, fantastic reviews. Glad you liked it! And second: I know, a lot of this chapter circled more or less around the same thing as in the last. Those fools. But I hope the repetition didn't bore. But as you can see, those two idiots really needed a brick to the head to finally see the light. Three: I know it's a bit sappy, if not cliché. But you know what? Sometimes it just needs sappiness and a little cliché. And this baby here sure needed it. And four: Poor Finn… sigh. But what a man... isn't he just great? Anyway, hope you enjoyed this last official chapter and are now waiting impatiently for the next and last chapter, the epilogue. I hope to get it done within a few days, but no promises.)_


	6. Epilogue: Reunion

**Epilogue: Reunion**

A stray of sunlight trickled on her and pulled her out of her sleep. With a contented sigh, she turned her face away from the sun and opened her eyes, smiling. She couldn't help it. Before, she kept waking up crying while being apart from Logan. Now, she kept waking up with a smile. A big smile if she was still in his arms, but even when she woke up and found him gone, there still was a smile on her lips. The same smile she had now. She had already known that he wasn't in bed with her the moment she drifted out of sleep. Otherwise his arms would have been around her.

What a shame. She wouldn't have minded to wish him a proper good morning.

There was a note on his pillow which she noticed now. Lazily, she reached for it.

_Had to go out for coffee as I don't have enough to last you half a morning._

_Stay put._

_Love,_

_Logan_

She gave a half laugh and let her head fall back on the pillows. Coffee. Well, after the last, what, forty hours or so she definitely could need a cup of coffee. Forty hours of pure bliss. Forty hours of making love, being whole again, being home, in his arms. How she had ever survived those terrible months apart from him, she had no idea. Being here, back with him, she knew that she wouldn't be able to do it again. She simply couldn't. She needed him.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes again.

Unfortunately though, once this week was up she had to go back to Yale. She didn't want to go… she wanted to stay here, where she belonged. But… there were her studies. Two more months and she would be done though. She couldn't drop out now, she knew that. Rory would never forgive herself for that. Plus, Logan would never let her. Still… the thought of being apart from Logan again, so soon, tore at her heart.

At least, this time, it should be better than during the last few months. After all, they were back together now and though they hadn't talked yet about the future or their relationship, she was certain that this was what Logan also wanted. Stay together, be a couple again. That meant she could call him whenever she wanted, she could e-mail him, text message him and first thing back in the States, she'd go buy herself a live vid, a video cam or something like that so they were going to be able to see each other, even while being so many miles apart. And for once, she'd use the money she had, that Logan had. She was going to come to London for as many weekends as she could manage. And Logan could come see her at Yale as well.

It was going to work. It had to. Because there was no alternative, not for her.

First though, Logan had to agree to the game plan. And while she wasn't really worried about receiving a positive response from him, there was that tiny, little doubt left. After all, so far, Logan hadn't mentioned a word even remotely in that sense. But his kisses, the urgency she could feel in him whenever he made love to her, the longing and love with which Logan pulled her into his arms whenever he could and keep her there as long as possible, all that told her that he wanted her back as much as she wanted him back.

They belonged together, that much was clear for Rory after this year.

The door to the bedroom closed quietly and she heard soft steps heading over to her. A moment later she felt him kiss the spot between her shoulder blades, slowly trailing up to the crook of her neck and she felt him inhale her scent with a deep breath.

"Morning, Ace," Logan whispered between two kisses.

"Hmm, morning," she whispered back and turned her head to give him a proper good morning kiss. "Where's my coffee?" she wanted to know once they separated.

Logan grinned. "In the kitchen," he told her.

She gave him her puppy dog eyes. "Bring it to me?" she pleaded.

"I could do that," nodded Logan and gave her another chaste kiss. "But where would be the fun in that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he drew back again.

"Logan!" Rory protested.

"No can do, Ace…" Logan replied, shaking his head. "Either, you get up and go get your coffee yourself, or…" he stopped and moved to climb over her.

"Or?" Rory asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Or…you work for me to go get your coffee," Logan told her with a smirk.

"Oh… and have you any ideas in mind just what this _work_ shall entail?" Rory asked playfully and couldn't help but smile.

"Some," he confirmed and his eyes darkened with lust.

Oh, boy! Who would have thought that she'd ever had to work so hard for coffee and enjoy it that much, Rory thought, before her mind clicked off as Logan leaned down to capture her lips in another deep kiss that sent a wave of sensations through her body and she was lost in fervent passion.

* * *

"Well… where's my coffee now?" Rory asked later. "I think I definitely earned it now."

Logan groaned. "No protest here."

"So…?" Rory poked.

Logan opened an eye to look at her sheepishly. "I fear I miscalculated a very important detail in my work plan," he admitted.

"You?" Rory gasped in mock. "Now I've heard it all."

"Very funny, Ace," Logan muttered dryly.

"So… you'll enlighten me on this astounding negligence of yours?" she asked.

Logan shrugged and closed his eye again. "I just didn't include in my estimate that I would have been simply too spent to even lift my head, let alone get up, walk to the kitchen, get your coffee and come back. So I fear you'll have to wait until at least some of my energy is back."

Rory grinned big. Now, how could a girl get annoyed at a lack of promised coffee with such an explanation? Still... no need to not have a little fun though. "I think that screams for punishment," she said in as a stern voice as she could manage.

"Sure, my pleasure," Logan mumbled, not moving one more muscle than necessary. "Just wait a little."

"Boy, you declining sex…" Rory shook her head. "Now that's a first."

"Didn't decline it, just postponed it," Logan muttered.

Smiling, Rory let the matter go and slid down from her sitting position to cuddle up to Logan, her smile growing bigger when she felt his arms circling her waist automatically and pulling her close to his body. With a sigh, she rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart, still beating a bit fast from the previous activity. She closed her eyes. "I missed this so much. I missed _you_ so much," she whispered.

His hold on her tightened and she felt one of his hands run up her back. "I missed it too," he said quietly and opened his eyes to look at the top of her head, her hair tousled, just like he loved it. With a nudge he made her look up at him. "I was going stir crazy without you, Ace," he admitted.

So far they hadn't talked much. At least not about the past nine months. Or about where to go from here on. Silently they had agreed that for now, they would forget the past, disregard the future, and just enjoy the here and now, to be back in each other arms. But soon, Rory's spring break would be over and she had to go back to Yale. The thought alone made Logan's heart ache and he pressed her a little bit closer to him.

"_You_ went crazy?" Rory laughed humorlessly. "Logan, I was a mess. Hell, I sank so low to call your voice mail just to feel a bit closer to you."

"Did you?" Logan asked surprised.

Blushing, Rory's eyes dropped and she nodded.

Logan laughed. "Boy, the phone companies sure profited from us these past months," he commented wryly.

Her eyes flew open to stare at him. "You mean…"

Logan nodded and stroked a stray hair out of her face.

For a moment, Rory processed this little detail. Then she shook her head. "Finn's right. We were fools."

"Finn?" Logan asked surprised.

Rory nodded. "He showed up night before St. Patrick's Day to come get me." She shook her head. "Remember, last year? We made plans to go to Dublin this year. I thought he never remembered my promise to come."

"Not Finn, at least not with such a kind of promise." Logan said. "So you were in Dublin for the parade?"

"Yeah. It was good, I liked it." Rory made a face. "Until we started to hit the bars and Finn got a little bit too personal for my taste. That's when he repeatedly claimed that we're fools."

Thoughtful, Logan played with a lock of her hair. "Colin preferred to call us idiots," he said.

"Colin?"

Logan nodded. "Yep. He pretty much used the same scheme like Finn." He shook his head. "I think, Ace, that we've fallen victims to outrageous matchmaking and manipulation courtesy of two certain stooges we happen to know."

Rory chuckled. "Looks like it. Too bad we can't get angry at them for it." She sighed and became serious. "I'm happy that I'm here and I wouldn't be if it weren't for Finn holding me hostage."

Damn right. Logan guessed he owed Finn and Colin now. Especially Finn. But he would deal with that later. For now, he had more important things to deal with.

It was time to talk a few things out with Rory.

"I want you back, Ace," he told her straight out. "I'm sick of missing you every second of every day, sick of feeling so incomplete. I need you." He paused for a moment. "I love you, Rory," he added simply.

Her eyes shimmered with happiness and perhaps a few tears. ""I want you back too, Logan." She shook her head. "I don't think I could bear to be apart from you again, even if I wanted to, which I don't. I need you." She smiled. "I love you," she said as simply as he had.

With a nod, Logan cradled her head with his hands. "So we're officially back together?" he clarified.

"Definitely," Rory immediately confirmed.

"Good," Logan said briefly and pulled her up to give her a long kiss. When he broke it off, he leaned his forehead against her. "But Rory, you need to know something. I can't promise you…"

"It's all right, Logan. Your father won't let you come back to the States once your year in London is over, right?" Rory interrupted him.

"How…" Logan started to say, surprised, but then shook his head. "No, doesn't matter. But you're right. He won't. I'm not sure where he wants to send me to next but I fear it will be far, far away from you. Rory, I…"

"Shh… You don't want to go, I know, but you have to. You have to, Logan, don't even think about getting out just because of me. You're born to do this. You're a newspaper mogul through and through and a damn good one at that. I won't let you give that up," Rory interrupted him again.

With a frown, Logan drew back. "That's not your decision, Ace. Yeah… I hate to admit it, but I like what I'm doing, I like the work I've done here in London, for our company. But it meant nothing, simply because I wasn't with you. If being with you means that I have to quit and try to find some other ways to do what I want, then fine. I'm a Huntzberger. I'll make it, with our without the family, as long as I have you at my side."

Sighing, Rory rolled off from Logan and sat up on her knees to look at him. "I have no doubt about that. But it's not necessary. I'm finishing school in June and then I'm not bound anymore to stay in the States. I can go freelance. I'm good, I have established a few good contacts this past year. And if that doesn't work…" She took a deep breath and looked very seriously at Logan. "You know, I'm pretty sure that wherever I go to, there's a certain newspaper corporation that might give me a job. I think you're quite familiar with that organization."

"What?" Logan asked shocked and sat up. "No Rory. You're dream is to be an overseas correspondent. I won't let you give that up, not for me."

"Logan…" Rory bit her lips, searching for words to make him understand. "Who says I can't be an overseas correspondent for the Huntzberger Group?"

"Rory…"

"No, wait a minute. Look… I don't need to tell you that the Huntzberger Corporation owns some of the most prestigious newspapers in and out of the States. Before I met you, I've always planned to apply at some of your newspapers, once I finish school. But then I met you. And basically, the Huntzberger Corporation got taboo for me because I didn't want any favors." She smiled sarcastically. "Didn't stop me though to take on that internship with your father. And boy, I really shouldn't have worried about being favored."

"Dad mistreated you. He never would have brushed you and your talents off like he had if it hadn't been for your relationship with me," Logan immediately protested.

Rory shrugged. "Perhaps. And perhaps he hadn't been so wrong after all. He's a hard man, but I'm not so sure anymore that he had really said those things to me just because of you. I overcame them eventually and got back into the game, stronger, better, and part of that is thanks to him. But that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is you and me. I'm not sure what your father thinks about employing me, probably he is dead against it. But you're in charge wherever he'll send you to and I'm pretty positive that I can convince you to hire me, should I really not find any other employment."

Logan opened his mouth but Rory pressed a finger to his lips, her eyes boring into his.

"Yes, I'd hate to get a job like that," Rory admitted outright. "But it's a small price to pay if I can be with you. I need you more than I need the satisfaction of having made it all on my own. Because even if I end up working for you, thanks to you, we both know that I'll work my ass off to be the best reporter you ever had on your staff. Probably even more, just because I'm sleeping with the boss." She winked at him. "And I know also that with all the love you have for me, you won't favor me. If I suck, you'll tell me, even fire me if necessary. And should I be wrong and you really fail in that..." She smiled sardonically. "I'm sure your father won't have any qualms about taking care of that."

Logan could simply stare at her. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure how to take these revelations. Truth was that Rory was a damn good journalist. Someone he would vigorously persuade to work for him. But because she was his girlfriend, and because of what had happened during her internship with his father, he had always thought that that was out of the question now. He wasn't sure though if he really felt comfortable if Rory made all these concessions on her dreams, on her plans for the future.

On the other hand though… if everything went according to _his_ plan, then Rory might have trouble getting employed at any paper outside the Huntzberger Corporation anyway, he thought, glancing at his night table. It was pretty hard if not next to impossible to get a job at another newspaper when you were married to one of the heads of the competition. So perhaps, this was really the perfect solution. If Rory wanted to do it, or at least was okay with it…

"Hey… we still have a few months to work everything out, think it through," Rory distracted him from his thoughts, making him look into her eyes again. "For now… I think you should have recovered enough by now, shouldn't you? I'm still waiting for my coffee, you know." She sighed. "Really, what kind of service is that… to make a lady wait hours for her coffee?"

"Ah… Didn't I hear something about punishment though?" Logan asked, wriggling his eyebrows at her so that she had to laugh.

"Coffee first," she declared though.

"But I've been such a naughty boy," Logan pouted.

"You're insatiable," she said, shaking her head and attempted to get out of the bed.

Logan was quick to grab her arm though and pull her back, flipping them so she was laying under him. "With you, always," he told her seriously, before he went on to prove her just how much he couldn't get enough of her.

* * *

The sense of someone watching him dragged Finn out of his heavy sleep. Or perhaps it was the strays of sunlight poking his face, something, that shouldn't be happening. He always slept with his blinds closed so opening them had always been a simple but very effective way to wake him up, especially after a night of partying, more bearable.

Something he was reminded of right now.

Growling, Finn turned his head to see what clown had thought it funny to disturb his well deserved sleep. He didn't need to look far.

There he was, sitting patiently by the window, reading one of Finn's books.

Dimly, Finn wondered if he should be surprised to see him here. Well, if he should, bugger. He hadn't the energy to muster up any remark yet. It was fucking too early for that. Still… he did wonder to what circumstance he owed the honor of this visit.

"What are you doing here?" he wanted to know, asking with a grumble. "And at this ungodly hour?"

"And a good afternoon to you too," Logan said and closed the book, putting it on the small table beside him. "I brought Ace home and thought I'll drop by quickly," he then added in explanation.

"Come back later," Finn grunted and closed his eyes again. His head pounded from the aftermath of the previous night. Well, to be honest, it was the aftermath of a whole week spent mostly with drinking and brooding. He sure hadn't been in the mood to party.

"Sorry, Finn, can't help it. I got to go back to London tomorrow and the program until then is overloaded as it is," Logan said with a shrug. "But I needed to talk to you, so here I am and I guess you'll just have to go back to sleep after we're done."

"What if I'm not in the mood to talk?" Finn wanted to know, irritated. He definitely wasn't in the mood to talk, let alone to Logan of all people.

"That's too bad then. Deal with it," Logan answered simply.

Finn sighed. Logan sounded pretty determined and Finn knew his mate. He wouldn't leave before they had that talk Logan wanted. Resigned, Finn opened his eyes again, turned and sat up so he was leaning against the headboard of his bed. "So talk," he told Logan, pulling up his right knee and leaned his arm on it in order to get more comfortable.

Logan eyes met his. "You'll need to keep yourself free June 29th."

Okay, that didn't make much sense, Finn thought, frowning. "And I should do that because?" he asked.

"You'll be my best man," Logan answered, smiling lightly, his eyes twinkling with happiness.

For a moment, Finn just stared at Logan, took this in and connected the dots. Normally, he would probably have picked up on it sooner, but hell, his head wasn't functioning fully yet. Now that he did though, he couldn't help but start to smile big, even if there were a few sharp stabs to his heart. "You idiot finally came to your senses?" he asked.

"I wouldn't word it quite like that, but yeah, I asked Rory the big question," Logan confirmed, still smiling.

"About bloody time," commented Finn and run a hand through his hair, taking a closer look at his best friend.

It was easy to see that Logan was happy. Gone was the brooding, hurting and short-tempered shade of Logan of the past nine months and instead, there was the mate sitting in Finn's chair that he had missed so much. But he could also see and feel clearly, there was now more calmness and seriousness in Logan. Damn, looked like Logan had grown up. At least he definitely seemed to be centered now, settled. And deeply contented.

Well, he should be. After all, he was marrying the most wonderful and precious girl Finn had ever known, held her heart.

Logan nodded. "Yeah, it is," he agreed lightheartedly, but then grew serious. "And most of that I owe to you."

Finn looked away and nodded. "You sure do. And you better don't forget that. I claim your first born to be my godchild and namesake," he replied. He never had been a big fan of modesty. "Though Colin had done his part to get you two fools finally back together as well."

"Okay with making you godfather, though Rory will have a word on that as well. But the name…" Logan shook his head. "Dream on, _Finnegan_. I'm not doing that to any child of mine," he stated, making a face. "And I'll thank Colin as well. But I know who initially had been behind this little matchmaking," Logan said quietly, growing serious. "Under the circumstances I'm not even mad about it. In fact, I'm here to thank you for what you have done, for me, for Rory."

Slowly, Finn looked back to Logan, met his eyes, saw the honesty in them. Simply, he accepted the thanks with a nod.

"But I wonder why you've done it?" Logan added quietly.

Finn frowned and shifted a little, a bit uncomfortable with that question. "My friends were miserable. I needed to do something."

For a long time, Logan said nothing, but just held Finn's eyes. Eventually, he shook his head once. "That's not what I meant and I think you know that."

Okay, Finn definitely didn't like where this was headed, he thought as he refused to give an answer.

With a sigh, Logan got up and came over to stand in front of Finn's bed. "Okay Finn, I've talked openly so much this past week that I'll just continue to be frank. This is just between us, man to man," he told Finn, waiting a moment to see if Finn had something to say.

He hadn't.

Logan nodded. "You're in love with Rory," he stated calmly.

A shudder ran through Finn, but he said nothing. There was no point in denying it after all, not when Logan could say this so matter-of-factly.

"And I want you to know that I don't mind that. In my opinion, any man who isn't halfway in love with my Ace is one big idiot," Logan continued. "I won't say that I'm sorry at how things played out though, because that would be a lie. But… I do appreciate very much what you've done, or not done, in spite of your love for her, for your loyalty to me," he added, his voice very quiet and soft.

Finally, Finn talked up. "There's no need to thank me for anything like that," he said firmly, his eyes boring into Logan's. "There never had been any other option, Logan. She's yours, had been right from the beginning."

"That she is," Logan agreed. "But don't sell yourself short, Finn, that doesn't suit you. She loves you as well. If you had wanted, you could have won her over, turned that love from friendship to something else. But you didn't and for that, I'm grateful." He smiled ruefully. "You've always been a good man, better than me. In your place, I doubt I would have done the same thing. I'm too possessive for that, too egoistical."

Finn frowned. While there was a trace of truth in Logan's words, Finn didn't quite agree with his words. Logan was better than he thought he was… he just lacked people to show him that, to believe in him. But he guessed Rory would take care of that now. And that was the point… if Logan was as bad as he thought he was, he would never have managed to win the heart of a person like Rory.

He shook his head. "Logan, if you were in my place, you'd have done the same thing. Because there is no choice, no option, Logan." It was his turn to smile ruefully. "It's you, Logan. It always had been, and I'm sure it always will be, just you." He shrugged and his smile turned to be more real, if perhaps a little lopsided. "Just like it's always been her for you since the moment she entered your life." His eyes fixed on Logan. "You should treat her well though," he warned his best friend, meaning every word.

Logan didn't hesitate and nodded immediately. "I will. And should I still fuck up I trust you to kick my ass."

"No worries about that. I wouldn't worry about your ass though. That won't be where I'll kick you, mate," Finn promised Logan seriously.

Logan winced a little, but flashed Finn a grin. Then he grew serious again. "As it is, there's something else I want to ask you. Though I'm pretty sure it's not really necessary. Still, I'd like your word anyway." He stopped and looked down, his hands twitching nervously

Finn raised an eyebrow and waited for Logan to continue. He wasn't sure what Logan was aiming at now, the way he saw it, pretty much everything that needed to be said had been said already. Plus some things that hadn't needed to be said, in his opinion. And from the way Logan acted, he wasn't sure he was going to like whatever would come.

"If…" Logan took a deep breath. "If anything should ever happen to me, I want you to take care of Rory. And of the kids, should there be kids. But most of all I need to know that she will be looked after. And there's no one better suited to do that than you," he finished quietly.

"Logan," Finn started to say something but stopped. Nope, he definitely didn't like this particular conversation.

"Promise me, Finn," Logan demanded softly, but urgently.

Finn hesitated but once he saw the determination in Logan's face, he slowly nodded. "I promise," he pledged in a whisper.

Logan sighed with relief and smiled. "Thank you. And now, I have a deal for you."

"What?" Finn asked surprised. What the hell? Would Logan perhaps stop to blindside him time and time again today? "What deal?"

Logan's eyes met his and there was the mischievous, sly mate Finn had grown up with. "I offer you one day, Finn. One day, during which Rory is yours. We may tag along, but it's your day, Finn."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Finn asked incredulously.

"St. Patrick's Day," Logan explained. "From now on, this shall be yours and Ace's day." He shrugged and grinned. "Actually, it had been yours for two years now anyway, so why not continue with that tradition? You two are crazy on that day, way too crazy. So yeah, she's yours for that day," he elaborated.

That was insane. And… "If your girl ever gets wind of that…" he muttered darkly.

"We'll be in hell," Logan finished nonchalantly and he smiled wickedly. "But where's the fun otherwise?"

Finn wasn't sure if Logan didn't underestimate Rory's wrath there a little, but… damn, Finn couldn't deny that he liked the idea of 'having' his love to himself on St. Patrick's Day. Of course nothing would ever happen, Logan knew that as well as Finn. And often, Logan and Colin would be with them. But Logan was right. St. Patrick's had been more his and Rory's day than anyone else's.

"One day, huh?" Finn asked slowly.

Logan nodded.

He couldn't otherwise. For that, the offer was too tempting. "Okay," Finn agreed to the deal with a grin. Logan's matched his grin.

For a while, neither of the two friends said anything. There was nothing more to say. Finally, Logan nodded. "All right. I should get back to Ace. We're heading to Hartford for the evening," he said.

"Why would you ever do that?" Finn asked perplexed.

Logan grinned, and once again, his happiness shone through. "To go give Emily a heart attack by telling her one, that Rory and I are getting married, and two, that the wedding will take place in a little over three months, and three, that no, we don't want to get married so soon because Ace's pregnant, but because we were apart long enough to not want to lose even one second together more than necessary and last, but not least that the wedding will take place in Stars Hollow, at the Dragonfly Inn." He laughed. "I'm already looking forward to hers and Richard's faces. Lorelai sure threatened me with a very painful death if we don't wait with spilling the news before she and Luke joined us."

Finn laughed as well. "I bet she did. Actually, I'd be very thankful if you'll pull one of your spying devices out of the reporter armoire and record it for us to amuse ourselves for ages to come."

"I'll see what I can do," Logan nodded with a grin. Then his grin faded and his eyes hardened. "And from the Gilmores I'm heading over to my parents. I already told Dad, but I shut off my phone after my announcement, so I haven't heard from Mom or Grandpa yet, but I guess that it won't go too well."

"Rory's not tagging along?" Finn asked.

"She wants to, but I won't let her. She doesn't need to hear what Mom and Grandpa are most likely going to say." His face darkened. "If Dad's reaction is any indicator, it's going to be ugly."

"He didn't take it well," Finn stated without surprise.

"No, he didn't like it one bit," Logan confirmed and Finn could sense his rage. But also iron hard determination. "But I had a few things to say for my part as well and he knows now that he'll better not try to mess with Rory in any way again and in fact, he should treat my wife with the respect she deserves or he won't like the consequences."

Finn saw that Logan meant every word and that none of them were shallow threats. This was another change. Logan had always complained about the pressure of his father, the family and he had fought often with Mitchum, rebelled. But Logan had always lost because in the end, he would have backed down, not daring to go through with his threats. Not anymore though. It was obvious that now, Logan was going to fight and wouldn't be stopped until he had what he wanted. His Ace. His life. "Good," Finn said quietly.

"Yeah," Logan nodded and turned. "I've got to leave tomorrow around nine in the evening. Ace and I would like to meet you and Colin beforehand. Grab some dinner, have a few drinks in celebration."

"Sounds like a plan," Finn agreed with a grin.

"I'll call you then," Logan said. "Later," he bid his farewell and left.

Thoughtful, Finn looked after him. This talk had held quite a few surprises for Finn. Not Logan's news about his impending marriage, Finn would have been seriously pissed if, after all the effort he and Colin had gone to, Logan wouldn't have grabbed the opportunity to finally bring out the ring he had already bought the first summer after getting together with Rory. The fool had honestly believed that Finn and Colin hadn't known about it. Well, to be fair, Logan did manage to keep it secret until the night he had gotten drunk after his first break-up with Rory. But he hadn't expected Logan to ever mention Finn's love for Rory. Hell, he hadn't been sure if Logan even knew about it. He had tried to keep it hidden from his best friend, but Logan wouldn't be such a good reporter if he wasn't able to read people pretty well. But even if he knew, Finn had expected for that to be always a silent matter between them, never to be mentioned. After all, there was not really any need to discuss it. Logan had seen her first, had fallen first. Rory was his, no doubt about that. And she had chosen Logan a long time ago as well. Logan knew that, Finn knew that, hell, even Colin knew that.

Then there was that deal. Finn wasn't sure yet what to think about it, he hadn't had time to really process it. But… one day. He would have one day with Rory every year and that was more than he had ever hoped for. Perhaps it would never work, perhaps it would make it even worse, and perhaps, Rory would one day get wind of this little deal and kill them – or do worse things. Still… it was one day and Finn's heart beat a little faster at the mere thought of it.

And damn if he wasn't already thinking about next year's St. Patrick's and where they could go. Of course it'll be contingent a bit on where on this nice planet the young Huntzbergers would end up residing for the time being. Well, not so much really, they were part of the jetsetters after all, but still, he would have to put that in consideration. And then he'd need to get another promise from Rory for next year's big day. After all, Logan may 'lend' her out for the day, but Rory still needed to be okay with that… without knowing about it, of course. The next year shouldn't be too much of a problem. After that though… well, Finn always loved a challenge.

But first, there was June 29th. Shit, that really wasn't much time. Emily Gilmore wouldn't be the only one on a frenzied roll for the next three months. There was much to be organized and prepared. At least Finn's wedding present for them was almost done, so that was one detail less. Still, the list of things to do was long.

He would make sure that this wedding was going to be outstanding and memorable. And of course, the bachelor party of the century had to be organized as well.

After all, two of his best friends were going to marry and he was pretty sure that this couple was going to be the kind of 'was going to marry only once'. So it had to be perfect. Tremendous. Superb. Extraordinaire.

Yep, fucking unforgettable was the plan.

* * *

THE END!

_(Author's Note: I'm finished!!!!!!!!! doing a little happy dance Wow, what a great feeling that is! Hmm… if I were Logan and Rory, I would be seriously worried about Finn helping organize their wedding. Yep, definitely. And as for Finn… God, I love that guy, that accent! I am a little sad that I couldn't give him a true happy end, but I do hope that he got at least something in the end. Hoped you all enjoyed the ride. Thanks for all the fantastic reviews, I'm over the clouds over them!)_


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